A Tale of Love and Mystery
by Gotham317
Summary: Violette, the young daughter of Gnomeo and Juliet, befriends a beautiful but abandoned doll named Elizabeth, who is welcomed into the family as her sitter while the parents are busy. When the gnomes go missing, Violette and Elizabeth team up with up with Sherlock Gnomes and Dr. Watson, including Violette's parents, to find their family and save them from a terrible fate. Spoilers!
1. Violette's Prologue

**Ever since I had seen Sherlock Gnomes, I instantly wanted to do a story about Gnomeo and Juliet's daughter and a romance between Sherlock and an OC. I am still working on The Great Mouse Detective, but at the request of my friend I. M. Rally I decided to work on the first chapter. I will do one story at a time, and one chapter at a time. I don't like being rushed into things even though I want to do them, so please be patient. This story goes back and forth between my OCs' pov or the narrator's pov.**

 **I don't own MGM's Sherlock Gnomes, nor Disney's Gnomeo and Juliet. OCs belong to me. Romeo and Juliet belong to William Shakespeare. Sherlock Holmes belongs to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.**

* * *

 _ **Violette's POV**_

Hello, and welcome to London! My name is Violette and I'm a garden gnome. A little girl garden gnome mind you. I may be little gnome, but I can do a lot of big things like...wait, I'm getting out of line here. I should explain my family history since you're familiar with them and to let you know what's been going on.

I am the daughter of Gnomeo Bluebury and Juliet Redbrick. It's hard to believe that not long ago their families had once been bitter enemies. Nobody remembers how it started. Their two owners, Ms. Montague and Mr. Capulet, had been loathing each other for years. Even the gnomes took part in the feud. My grandmother, Lady Bluebury, took command of Ms. Montague's garden of blue gnomes. My grandfather, Lord Redbrick, took command of Mr. Capulet's garden of red gnomes. When my parents first met, they were trying to steal the Cupid's Arrow Orchid, and it was love at first sight. But for a blue gnome and a red gnome to be together, it was hard to keep it a secret from everyone, although the only ones who accepted their love was Auntie Nanette and Mr. Featherstone. However, a terrible incident between my Daddy and Uncle Benny and Uncle Tybalt lead to an all out war between the two gardens. And that war brought destruction to both gardens and it nearly cost my parents their lives. Realizing that their anger had almost destroyed Mommy and Daddy, my grandparents felt extremely guilty and had made peace. Too bad it didn't save their gardens, but it did save my parents. You can imagine the horror of both Ms. Montague and Mr. Capulet when they found their gardens destroyed, but surprisingly, they too made peace and finally ended their feud for the our sake.

So Mommy and Daddy got married and lived happily ever after. Then Daddy talked about wanting a child, so he and Mommy drew up a sketch for their owners of what their child should look like after discussing it; my eyes colored green and facial features like my Mommy and my blonde hair like my Daddy, though my hair was longer and designed in two ponytails with two purple bows, and I wore a purple and white dress with a white short-sleeved shirt with a black vest, black shoes and a purple cap just like my parents.

I'll never forget that moment. As soon as Ms. Montague and Mr. Capulet had completed in constructing me, I was left alone on a pedestal with my parents so I could meet them. When the owners had left, I blinked my eyes and shielded them from the sun cause it was too bright. Suddenly I felt a hand on my shoulder. Startled, I whirled around and was met face-to-face with my parents. Love and kindness was in their eyes as they looked down upon me. Both of them seemed to be glowing in the sun's light as if they were angels sent to welcome me to my new home and my new family.

I shrieked my first words the second I realized whom they were. "MOMMY! DADDY!" And I threw myself into their embrace. My parents smothered me with hugs and kisses, and shedding tears of joy and happiness. I heard ear-piercing cheers and thunderous applause as I glanced down the pedestal to see a crowd of garden gnomes, all smiling and looking up at me. My happiness turned to fear. I didn't know these gnomes at first and I was scared. But my parents assured me the gnomes would never hurt me because they are my family. I scurried down the pedestal, almost tripping over, until Grandma Bluebury helped me to my feet. She and Grandpa Redbrick introduced themselves and they took turns hugging me for the first time.

Then I was introduced to the rest of the family. Auntie Nanette wanted to be called 'auntie' cause she and Mommy are best friends, and I immediately took a liking to her. Uncle Benny, he was shorter than me but that didn't stop him from trying to be more adult when he has this adorable childish character that I like about him. The red gnome goons make me laugh every time they do something funny or start a silly argument over something ridiculous. I may not understand what the four white rabbits say, despite their way of communication is called sign language by clanking their ears is confusing, but I found them adorable. Mr. Featherstone gave me a ride on his back and I would have stayed longer to enjoy the feel of the wind in my face until his wife, Mrs. Featherstone, put an end to it cause she feared I might fall off and crash. Uncle Tybalt, well I know he used to be a bully toward the blue gnomes and he got smashed during a brawl with Daddy, but now he's been glued back together and he's still getting used to the idea of befriending the blue gnomes. He and Fawn offered to teach me how to race on a lawnmower someday. Paris, his bookworm appearance says it all, he has a good knowledge of plants in the garden that I don't know of and I think I would like to learn how to plant my own variety of flowers one day.

After a long day of greeting and meeting my new family as well as a long day of celebrating my birth, we all resumed back to our positions in the garden just as Ms. Montague and Mr. Capulet returned to cover us in bubble wrap to keep us safe from cracking and carefully placed us inside large cardboard boxes. Tomorrow was the day that we moved to our new garden and our new home. As much as I liked seeing the gardens my parents lived in, I couldn't wait to see my new garden, not to mention I couldn't wait to see what London will be like. I fell asleep afterward, more likely froze in gnome position.

Now on the day I was born, we didn't know that there was case of suspense and intrigue and mystery going on in London which continued onward until it lasted into the night. Long story short, a famous gnome detective named Sherlock Gnomes and his partner Gnome Watson had solved the final clue of locating and rescuing a group of abducted gnomes at the Natural History Museum from an evil pie mascot named Moriarty. There was a battle upon a diplodocus skeleton between the two adversaries, until it ended by Moriarty crushed by the collapsing skeleton and Sherlock had a narrow escape. He said with Moriarty gone, London is once again safe for all garden gnomes.

Boy, was he wrong. That's because...well, I don't want to spoil anything else. Especially about hearing a strange story how a fire had started in what was to be our new home and new garden. But don't worry, that fire had been put out and the house had been repaired and fixed. I sure hope the new garden will look just as lovely as our new home.

On the day of our move, it was on a bright and glorious morning on the busy streets of London. The car that had our cardboard boxes strapped to the roof zoomed past modern white or gray buildings or regular old little shops. A Sherringford mover's truck lurched behind the car, carefully driving through tight spaces and crowded streets. From inside the box, I heard the distant sound of music coming from the open window of the car beneath us. I could scarcely make out Elton John's Don't Go Breaking My Heart. My parents love Elton John's songs, and so do I.

Inside one of the cardboard boxes, I peered out through the open handle hole to gaze at the world passing by. My eyes widened in fascination at the many sights before me. "Wow!" I gasped in awe. The river glistened in the sun like diamonds. A giant double decker bus drove past our car, and I thought it was the biggest vehicle I had ever seen. The bridge, my grandparents call Tower Bridge, stood majestically above me, and I think it's bigger than the giant red bus.

Glancing over my shoulder to check on my parents, I saw Mommy and Daddy gazing happily at each other before they closed their eyes and leaned in for a kiss. Suddenly, Uncle Benny popped up in-between them to try to talk to Daddy. Daddy's eyes shot open to find the tiny gnome grinning at him and his lips pressing against Uncle Benny's once sheared off but repaired blue hat.

"That was unexpected," said Uncle Benny.

I stifled a giggle, and Daddy wiped his mouth in embarrassment. But then, the car hit a speed bump and I fell back - right into Auntie Nanette's arms.

"Oh! You should be careful, sweetheart," Auntie Nanette warned me. "It's not a smooth boat ride when your on the road."

"I am, Auntie," I replied, nodding my head.

The car took another sharp turn around the corner and all of the gnomes were rattling over a cobblestone street. I enjoyed bouncing and feeling my teeth chatter, but it doesn't seem like everyone was having fun.

"Everyone, we're going through some unexpected road conditions, so hold on to your bubble wrap and keep a close eye on your partner!" called Grandpa Redbrick.

At once, every single garden gnome or lawn ornament did as he or she was told to do. I stayed with Auntie Nanette for support. My parents gazed at us in concern, but Auntie waved off their worries that I'm safe with her.

"Listen to Lord Redbrick!" advised Grandma Bluebury. "Whatever you do, however tempting it may be, do not pop your bubble wrap."

In response, there came a pop, pop, popping sound. Everyone shot a frowning face at Uncle Benny, who was holding a part of his wrap between his fingers and popped it.

"Benny!" scolded Grandma Bluebury.

"What? I can't help it," shrugged Uncle Benny.

As the jittering car jostled the gnomes about, I was having the time of my life. "Wheeee!" I cried.

"It's nothing to enjoy, Violette," chided Grandpa Redbrick, who had heard me. "You could fall over and chip yourself!"

"But I'm covered in bubble wrap, Grandpa! How could I chip myself if I'm trussed up like a scarecrow?" I protested, this was true I had been covered in extra bubble wrap since before we left my grandfather had me wrapped tightly in extra bubble wrap, concerned I could easily be damaged on the road trip and to tell you the truth I don't like it at all.

Before Grandpa Redbrick could argue any further with me, Grandma Bluebury interrupted by patting me on the shoulder. "Don't worry, Violette," she assured me. "It's only temporary. You'll be fine."

I smiled gratefully at my grandmother. It was at that moment the jittering and jostling came to an end and it was smooth sailing from here on.

"How about we do something to pass the time?" Paris suggested. "Why don't we imagine how our perfect dream garden will be like?"

"You know what I want?" Auntie Nanette asked dreamily. "I want a massive pond for swimming."

"I want a huge alley for lawnmower racing!" declared Tybalt.

"And an even bigger box than this!" growled Fawn, struggling to make some room since the box kept him cramped throughout the ride.

As he finished his words, the car and the mover's van slowed to a stop.

"We're here!" Grandma Bluebury announced.

"Thank goodness," Fawn sighed in relief.

I grew rapturous. We had made it at last. I had the energy to squeal and cheer, but my parents had to cover my mouth and restrain me from making any sudden loud noises so not to alarm the humans.

"You ready, girls?" Daddy asked, taking my hand and mother's hand into his own.

"I'm ready!" I exclaimed.

"I can't wait," Mommy said, affectionately squeezing our hands.

"Poses, everyone!" shouted Grandpa Redbrick.

As if by magic, all of the gnomes and ornaments froze in place by our signature poses. I faintly heard Ms. Montague and Mr. Capulet talking about their new house though muffled words due to being inside the box. Through the hold handle, I could make out a spectacular bright purple brick building. It was even better than I imagined. Perhaps when the humans go out, I should try exploring the new house later, if I get the chance.

The lids flipped open and a pair of hands (Ms. Montague and Mr. Capulet) picked the gnomes and ornaments out of the boxes, carefully unwrapped the bubble wrap from their small bodies, and arranged them to be in their spots in the new garden, before my turn came for the hands to pick me up. I held my breath, waiting to see what my new garden home had in store for me.

"London, a brand new adventure for us. And for our star-crossed lovers, Gnomeo and Juliet, and their beautiful daughter, Violette." Ms. Montague sighed happily, as she removed the bubble wrap from me and my parents and set us down on a pedestal in them center of the garden.

"Right! Let's go out and buy an expensive coffee. That's what people do around here." I heard Mr. Capulet say to Ms. Montague as they walked out of the garden gate.

The second they were gone, the rooster and pig weather vanes perched on the house wall swung toward us and signaled all of us that it was safe to come to life again. As we all came to life, an awful chatter filled the air. Our new garden, our new home, looked far from perfect or beautiful. What I saw stretched out in front of me and my family was an overgrown wasteland. Dead plants and neglected weeds choked out of every inch of the dull grass. The garden shed was half destroyed, half burnt. Everything was in this garden looked very grim and sort of dead.

"Aye-yie-yie! What happened to our new garden?" Mr. Featherstone gasped, while his wife remained shocked by the state of our new home.

"Huh? You call this a garden?! It looks like a dump!" Uncle Tybalt complained.

"Where's the new garden?" Fawn asked baffled.

"This _is_ the new garden, Fawn," the three goons told the stricken deer.

"No, no. I'm going back in the box," Fawn groaned.

The small white bunnies started twitching or clanking their ears back and forth angrily. Nobody knew what they were saying, but Grandpa Bluebury did, and she was appalled by the poor choice of words used by the rabbits.

"Girls! Language!" she scolded, lightly hitting one of the bunnies on the head with her shovel.

"I'm not so sure about this," Grandpa Redbrick mumbled darkly, shaking his head.

I kept gazing sadly over the scene. I believed the new garden would've had neat rows of colorful flowers, a nicely trimmed lawn, a fish pond of sparkling water, a perfectly carved bird bath as a centerpiece. It would have been made as if to welcome us to our new home, just like the house out front. Instead, I was looking at a graveyard of a garden.

"Oh, dear." I heard Paris whisper in disappointment.

A gnome named Mankini, who wears nothing but a red mankini and green glasses, tottered over to a mud puddle. "Hey look, Paris! I found a pool!" he shouted. He jumped into the puddle, but got pulled under a little. The sounds of flatulence and bubbles popping was heard. Paris slowly looked away awkwardly. I felt a smile creep up on my face. This bikini gnome sure knows how to make me laugh, even in the most depressing moments. "Ooh, I made a Jacuzzi!" Mankini shouted from under muddy water.

Mommy looked over the run-down garden, uncertain. "I guess it's a...fixer upper?"

Even though it was not what he expected of the garden, Daddy was determined to see the bright side of things and cheer us up. "Well, I think that it's the most beautiful garden in the world. Because my wife and my little girl are standing in it," he said affectionately.

"You really think so, Daddy?" I asked hopefully.

"Of course it is, sweetheart," he said, playfully poking at my side and I giggled while climbing down the pedestal to look around.

"That was super cheesy," Mommy whispered teasingly.

"Seriously?" Daddy replied in pretend disbelief. "I practiced that line in the car for about ten minutes."

"It was like awful!" Mommy pronounced, as she gave him a sly grin. Then she pointed up the ladder, raising an eyebrow. "Oh, I bet there's a pretty good view up there."

"I'll let you know when I get there first!" challenged Daddy, as he flung his hands onto the ladder's first step.

I stopped to watch my parents mischievously bolted up the ladder, laughing and teasing each other along the way. Mommy reached the top because she swung herself upward. Nevertheless, she leaned down and pulled Daddy up, then swung him around and around and around, until Daddy had quite enough. Laughing it off, the two of them stared off in awe at whatever it was over the wall. My curiosity piqued. I wish I could see what they were looking at. It must be wonderful. I didn't hear what Daddy said to Mommy, but I wanted to climb up the ladder and see for myself. No sooner I got to ladder...

"Juliet, come down this instant, before you fall!" cried Grandpa Redbrick. He noticed me at the ladder and frowned. "And don't even think about climbing up there, Violette!"

I scowled at him. My mother always told me that even though she was by far the bravest and strongest gnome in the garden, and she proved it many times, Grandpa still fretted over her constantly. And Mommy wasn't the only one my grandfather constantly frets with worry. I was in the same boat as my mother. I wish I could be just as brave and strong as my mother is.

"When is he going to realize you're the toughest gnome in the garden?" I heard Daddy say to my mother, hoping it will cheer her up.

Mommy grinned, that did make her feel better. "Now that was a good line," she whispered.

I just hope my father would support me as the toughest gnome in the garden someday, instead of fretting over my safety like grandfather. I decided to explore this overgrown mess of a garden for a while. I glanced at Uncle Benny popping the bubbles on the bubble wrap, muttering 'she loves me' or 'she loves me not', I wonder why he does that and who is she? Auntie Nanette came over and she said something about a crush. What is a crush? I wanted to ask them when...

"Gather round everyone!" I heard Grandma Bluebury calling to everyone in the garden. "We have an announcement."

All of the gnomes and ornaments in the garden made their way to the center of the garden. I was about to join them, when something caught my attention at the corner of my eye. I noticed some movement inside an open hole in the garden shed wall. It looked like one of the gnomes but it moved so fast it was blurry that I couldn't see who it is. My curiosity piqued again, so I decided to investigate.

It wasn't until I reached the garden shed when I heard Grandma address to the crowd, "Lord Redbrick and I are officially retiring. We both think a new garden is the perfect opportunity to name new leaders. Gnomeo and Juliet."

"Us?!" My parents gasp in union.

I whirled my head around in surprise. Then the garden burst into cheers and applause of congratulations or approval. I applauded as loud as I could and cheered, "Hooray for Mommy and Daddy!" I'm so proud of them. They could be like a king and queen of the garden, and I could be their princess.

"Gnomeo and Juliet will lead us in preparing the garden for winter," Grandma Bluebury continued as my parents joined her and grandfather in the center. "As soon as the garden blooms in spring, we'll have a Seedling Ceremony to celebrate." She lead Grandpa Redbrick, whom I noticed was the only one not congratulating them. As a matter of fact, he didn't look ready to retire and hand over the leadership to my parents.

A crash brought me back to why I was at the garden shed. It came from inside the shed. I crawled in through the hole and to my shock, the inside of the shed looked just as dismal as the garden outside. Everything was broken with glass or pots, and old paint or oil stains left forever on the walls and on the floor. But it wasn't the state of the shed that utterly confounded me.

It was the person I found inside the shed, trying to hide from me but to no avail. This person was not a gnome nor an ornament. Uncle Benny told me about his old flame, a doll with curly blonde hair and blue dress whom he used to date, and how different dolls are from garden gnomes and ornaments. So I must be face-to-face with a doll.

But she was nothing like the doll Uncle Benny once introduced me to long before he broke up with her. This doll was just as beautiful as my mother, despite her devastating appearance. Her ginger red hair was long that reached her waist, but it was all tangled and dirty. Her gown, once a lovely regal gown of lilac and a split skirt with an inset of gold jacquard and lavishly embellished with gold trim, had been burnt off to dark ashes and some of it torn forcibly to expose her dirty arms and legs and bare feet, its lively colors had changed to a dull grayish color. The doll's pale face, very pretty one too, was covered in gray or black marks. And her turquoise eyes had the eyes of a frightened animal in danger, but I wasn't a danger to her so I wanted to let her know this, without scaring her away.

"Hello, my name's Violette," I introduced myself to her. "I just moved here with my family to live in the new garden."

The doll studied me carefully, as if examining me.

"What's your name?" I asked her.

The doll didn't respond.

"Can't you talk?" I pressed.

Again, no answer. Sighing, I gave up and turned to leave, thinking I might never befriend her, until I heard the doll speak to me in a calm angelic whisper.

"My name is Elizabeth."


	2. Playtime

_**Narrator's POV**_

Gnomeo and Juliet entered the decaying and abandoned garden shed, having a long time searching for their daughter who had gone missing a short while ago.

"There you are, young lady!" Juliet scolded, her hands on her hips. "Why did you wander off like that? You had me and your father worried sick!"

"Mommy, I was just exploring," Violette explained. "But I found Elizabeth hiding in here and I was just trying to help her."

Juliet and Gnomeo exchanged confused expressions until they finally noticed a dirty doll in ragged clothes. They gasped softly at her appearance, causing her to retreat deeper into the shadows to hide in trepidation.

"It's alright," Gnomeo tried to reassure her. "We're not going to hurt you. My name is Gnomeo, and this is my wife Juliet. We're Violette's parents. We were just worried about her wandering off."

The scared doll came a little bit closer out of the shadows to introduce herself quietly, "My name is Elizabeth."

"You poor thing," Juliet said with deep pity as she studied the doll's face and attire up and down. "Why are you in here?"

Elizabeth seemed apprehensive as the sudden questions and she looked away for a long moment. The three garden gnomes were patient as they waited for her answer.

It seemed like minute until Elizabeth answered as best as she could, "There was a fire here, about a month ago. My family and my owner...they never survived. I don't know how it started, but that's all I can remember."

"Well, you're safe now," Juliet said reassuringly. "You don't have to stay hidden anymore. You can stay with us if you want to. We can help you."

Elizabeth glanced at the gnomes unsure for a long moment, but the gentle smiles on the three gnomes' faces reassured her fears and she smiled timidly while she took Violette's open hand. The foursome left the garden shed, carefully helping her out of that dismal shed and outside into the sunshine, which she had to shield her eyes from the intense light as it hurt her eyes and may not have seen in a long time.

As the group led her to the garden, all of the other garden gnomes and ornaments stopped in their tracks over what they had been doing to stare upon the newcomer, making Elizabeth suddenly feel very self-conscious and apprehensive again and she would have turned back to hide had Violette not kept a tight grip on her hand.

Lady Bluebury and Lord Redbrick came running up to them, showing the same concern they had about Violette when she wandered off and then toward Elizabeth, inquiring who she was.

"This is Elizabeth," Juliet told them. "We found her in the garden shed. This place was her home but it was burned down in a fire. She's all alone, so we offered her to stay with us."

"Oh, you poor dear," Lady Bluebury said sympathetically. "You're perfectly welcome to stay with us."

"You know..." Lord Redbrick had been in deep thought over the matter and considered a proposition for Elizabeth. "Since Juliet and Gnomeo are going to be busy tending to the garden before winter, Violette is going to need someone to look after her...a nanny, perhaps."

"That's not a bad idea, Dad," Juliet agreed, having consider the idea of a nanny for her child while she fixed and tidied up the entire garden.

"Splendid idea, Redbrick!" added Lady Bluebury.

"But first, we need to get you get cleaned up and get you a new dress," Gnomeo said, gesturing to the doll's attire.

"Thank you, all of you," Elizabeth said gratefully.

The door had been locked since Ms. Montague and Mr. Capulet had left to buy coffee, so the gnomes had to stack themselves up on each other to reach the door's height. Benny, the smallest, used a paperclip to unlock the door. When the door swung open, Benny lost his balance and he, along with the gnomes, tumbled over and landed on a pile on top of each other, though thankfully none of them were cracked.

Elizabeth followed Violette, Nanette and Lady Bluebury into the house, though Violette wanted to explore the house she had to help first. The first thing the women needed to do was to get rid of Elizabeth's ragged dress before her bath. While the three gnomes averted their gazes so to spare Elizabeth privacy, Elizabeth removed her article of clothing and threw it into the garbage bin. Nanette turned the faucet on to allow warm water to fill up the sink halfway. Elizabeth, who had calmly lowered herself into the sink, the water felt really good on her body and she felt herself relax. Using the hand soap, Elizabeth covered her hair in white suds to let the shower rinse the remaining dirt out of her hair. Nanette tossed a bar of soap in so Elizabeth could scrub off the any shed of dirt or dust that stuck to her body. It took fifteen minutes for Elizabeth to remain in the shower, so it was a few minutes before 11:00 when mission accomplished. Elizabeth was pleased to feel fresh and clean again, only to realize she needed something to wear so nobody outside in the garden could see her naked.

Luckily for her, Violette and Lady Bluebury had measured her body height before her shower so they could work on sewing a new dress for her to wear to replace her old one, using two old fabric rolls of white and lilac that Ms. Montague intended to donate to charity before settling in. During those fifteen minutes, Lady Bluebury and Violette had been sewing and designing on Elizabeth's new attire, deciding on the kind of attire she should wear since she was going to be Violette's new nanny A medium-length lilac sleeveless dress with a white long-sleeved shirt underneath and dark ballet flat shoes made out of plastic. Before she could put them on, Elizabeth had her hair brushed by Nanette, who was then asked to cut her hair short. Taking out a pair of scissors from the drawer, Nanette carefully trimmed Elizabeth's hair up to a medium length of her shoulders. Finished, Nanette tied Elizabeth's hair into a low ponytail in a lilac ribbon to a bow until her dress was ready.

The three females had to avert their eyes while Elizabeth had to change into her new dress. When Elizabeth announced they could look now, the three women gasped in astonishment. The dress and the shirt fit Elizabeth as if they knew it would. She looked stunningly beautiful. Elizabeth was so grateful, she didn't really know how to truly thank them, other than saying thank you multiple times.

Outside in the garden, the gnomes and ornaments were given assigned jobs to mend their new untidy garden. Juliet directed the red gnomes to weed a patch of ground next to the house. Then she showed the blue gnomes how to turn over dirt, preparing for planting. While they were digging, she and Gnomeo planted a whole bed of flower seeds in another patch of garden that had miraculously been rescued from the weeds they pulled away. After the dirt had been tilled, Gnomeo took up a small shovel and started to lay down the fertilizer. Juliet found a hose nearby with a spray attached to it. She attached the hose to a water spigot at the back of the house, turned it on, and started to water the scraggly bushes that formed a hedge on one side of the garden.

The minute Elizabeth returned, all eyes were on her. Multiple wolf whistles and cat calls came from everywhere. Some of the male gnomes or ornaments said inappropriate or strange things toward her as if she was wearing a revealing bathing suit on a beach. This didn't please Elizabeth since she didn't like the kind of attention she was receiving, nor did it please Gnomeo and Juliet and their parents. Violette had her ears covered by her grandmother, hoping the child never heard any foul language.

Benny kept his gaze fixed on Nanette so not to feel attracted to another gorgeous doll. Mankini did a ridiculous pose in attempt to show off his half naked body toward her, but Elizabeth recoiled and shielded her eyes so not to stare at a half naked gnome in a bikini. Paris, in a flash, transformed and trimmed a dead bush into a leaf statue of himself but with flexing muscles. Elizabeth gawked at the bush, and politely complimented Paris on his work so not to hurt his feelings.

"Hello, sweet thing! How's it going?" Tybalt called out, winking at her and leaning against a flower pot trying to look cool. "Why don't you come on over here and help me with a job." He wiggled his eyebrows at her, making Elizabeth to slink away from him as he fixed his gaze at her like she was a piece of meat.

"Back to work, Tybalt!" Lord Redbrick interrupted, smacking Tybalt on the butt with his stick and glaring harshly at him. Scoffing, Tybalt rolled his eyes and went back to work. "And that goes for all of you!" Lord Redbrick ordered the other gnomes and ornaments, and everyone immediately resumed their assigned jobs.

Elizabeth was glad the unwanted attention was over. "Thank you, Mr. Redbrick. When do I start my job?"

"You can start now," replied Lord Redbrick.

Nodding, Elizabeth found the little gnome girl craving for her parents to come play with her.

"Mommy, Daddy?" Violette begged. "Can we play ball or hide and seek?"

"Later, honey." Juliet shook her head dismissively. "We have to get our new garden ready for winter first, so I need your help us by pulling out the weeds. Then we can play whatever game you like."

Sighing, Violette started reluctantly tugging at the stubborn weeds to free them from the ground.

Seeing this, Elizabeth decided to get to work and attend to young Violette with her chore. "I'll help you remove the weeds, Violette," she offered. "And then I'll play a game with you if we do a brilliant job."

Violette's face lit up. "Promise?"

"I promise," Elizabeth said as they did a pinky swear together.

It took about ten minutes to do their job and the work was exhausting. The two of them often took a break once in a while to relax their muscles. Elizabeth attempted to make Violette play a game to make the chore fun, a contest over how many weeds they could pull out and the one with the most weeds wins. This revved up Violette's engine and she never stopped pulling those weeds until her pile was bigger than Elizabeth's.

"I won!" Violette cheered.

"Congratulations," said Elizabeth. "Ready to play now?"

"I'm gonna go see if my parents will want to play with us!" Violette rushed over toward her parents, where her mother had caught her grandfather moving one pile of leaves to the side.

"Dad, I just rearranged those leaves!" Juliet told him off.

"They were too close together," huffed Lord Redbrick. "Look, I agree with Lady Bluebury to pass down control of the garden over to you and Gnomeo, I'm still not quite ready to give up the reins. Juliet, are you sure you're up to this?"

Juliet was about to answer when Lady Bluebury interrupted.

"You're supposed to be retired," she told him sternly. Unlike Lord Redbrick, she trusted her son and her daughter-in-law to know what they were doing.

"Maybe I should put off my retirement," said Lord Redbrick. "Just until the new garden us up and running."

"Dad, I can do this," Juliet assured him.

"Daddy, Mommy!" Violette called. "I finished pulling out the weeds. Do you want to play now?"

Grinning, Juliet was about to join her daughter when Lord Redbrick stopped her.

"Remember Juliet, a good leader always puts the garden first," he told his daughter. "You will be a capable leader someday, but I'm worried that your focus on your daughter or your husband will lead to neglect your responsibilities to the garden."

"Always put the garden first," Juliet repeated. "I got it, Dad." She also thought about what her father had told her. As the leader of the gnomes, she felt the huge responsibility of making sure the garden came first - even if it meant less time with her daughter, or relaxing with her husband. Instead of going to her daughter, Juliet returned to her duties.

Watching her mother leave, a bemoaning Violette was left confused and alone. "Mommy?"

Having seen what happened, Elizabeth came up to the little gnome girl with a smile. "Try to understand, Violette. Your parents are very busy with this garden and might never have the time for you."

"Are you saying Mommy and Daddy care about the garden more than me?" Violette asked hurtfully.

"That's not what I'm saying!" Elizabeth corrected. "They only hired me to take care of you. If someone needs help with a chore, we can make a game out of it. Now, what do you want to do?"

Violette thought this over and beamed. "Do you know karaoke?"

Elizabeth giggled. "I love karaoke!"

Taking her nanny by the hand, Violette lead Elizabeth back inside the house where a karaoke music box had been laid on a table in the living room (a surprise gift for Ms. Montague and Mr. Capulet's grandchildren) and Violette, having been taught how to use technology or machines by Benny and Gnomeo, brought up the first song that came to them and two girls began singing their hearts out.

 **You could never know what it's like**  
 **Your blood like winter freezes just like ice**  
 **And there's a cold lonely light that shines from you**  
 **You'll wind up like the wreck you hide behind that mask you use**

 **And did you think this fool could never win**  
 **Well, look at me, I'm a-coming back again**  
 **I got a taste of love in a simple way**  
 **And if you need to know while I'm still standing you just fade away**

 **Don't you know I'm still standing better than I ever did**  
 **Looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid**  
 **And I'm still standing after all this time**  
 **Picking up the pieces of my life without you on my mind**

 **I'm still standing, yeah, yeah, yeah**  
 **I'm still standing, yeah, yeah, yeah**

 **Once I never could hope to win**  
 **You're starting down the road leaving me again**  
 **The threats you made were meant to cut me down**  
 **And if our love was just a circus you'd be a clown by now**

 **You know I'm still standing better than I ever did**  
 **Looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid**  
 **I'm still standing after all this time**  
 **Picking up the pieces of my life without you on my mind**

 **I'm still standing, yeah, yeah, yeah**  
 **I'm still standing, yeah, yeah, yeah**

 **Don't you know that I'm still standing better than I ever did**  
 **Looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid**  
 **And I'm still standing after all this time**  
 **Picking up the pieces of my life without you on my mind**

 **I'm still standing, yeah, yeah, yeah**  
 **I'm still standing, yeah, yeah, yeah**

 **I'm still standing, yeah, yeah, yeah**  
 **I'm still standing, yeah, yeah, yeah**

 **I'm still standing, yeah, yeah, yeah**  
 **I'm still standing, yeah, yeah, yeah**

"You have a pretty voice, Elizabeth," Violette complimented when the song had ended.

"Aw, thank you," Elizabeth replied, touched by the young gnome's compliment. "And your singing is just as good as mine."

Violette smiled at her nanny, before she decided their next game was catch. Elizabeth found some tinfoil in the kitchen to fold and wrap it into a ball, small enough for them to use.

"Catch!" Elizabeth laughed, throwing the ball toward the young gnome.

Violette caught the ball and threw it back at her, turning this game of catch into a game of volleyball. They chased each other through the garden, past gnomes planting seeds and clipping vines off bushes. Violette was quick, but Elizabeth caught her at the foot of the ladder and she tossed it too far. Violette missed it and stumbled backwards and hit one of the red goons, accidently making him fall over and break his tall hat.

"What the fertilizer!" shouted the goon.

"Oops!" Violette cringed nervously. "Sorry!"

"Are you alright?" Elizabeth asked, rushing over to them.

"Don't worry. I'm in one piece, nothing broken," Violette assured her.

"Except for the poor gnome you literally just broke," Elizabeth said, gesturing at the goon's broken hat.

"Broken? Who's broken?" The goon found his broken pointy hat, felt the top of his head, and suddenly screamed in panic, "OH MY GOD!"

Quick as wink, Violette and Elizabeth helped the goon fix his tall pointed hat by using some glue Elizabeth found in the storage shed. But they had been firmly warned off by Violette's parents and grandparents to never play catch again so not to cause anymore damage.

"Why don't we play hide-and-seek instead." Elizabeth suggested, after she was done being lectured over the ball toss incident.

"Okay, you're it!" Violette excitedly poked her as she ran off.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes in amusement as she started to count, eventually coming to, "...8...9...10...Ready or not, here I come!"

She looked around the planter; in some bushes; and finally she glanced over at the garden shed Violette tried to hide her form, but her childlike giggling gave her away.

"Found you!" Elizabeth cheered with a smile as Violette crawled out.

Hide and seek continued for a little while longer when Violette had her turn to find Elizabeth and discovered her hiding in the hedge. This continued onward until when the sun had began to set that hide and seek was over.

Elizabeth assisted Violette in climbing up the ladder's panels to reach the top where Gnomeo and Juliet had been earlier. Violette had always been curious to what was it her parents liked about being on top and what it was that...holy cow! They caught their breath as their eyes met a magnificent sight.

The overgrown mess of garden may have been beneath them, but the view from the top of the ladder and over the wall was incredibly stunning. From there, the girls could see all of London - Big Ben and its musical chimes, the London Eye gentle turning like a wheel, the stately Tower Bridge rising above the Thames. The sky was brilliant mixture of pink, blue, orange and yellow, creating a calm atmosphere in the city. Lights started up in every window of building or in every street lamp in the city, including Big Ben and the London Eye and the Tower Bridge, giving the view an even more beautiful and magnificent sight before Violette and Elizabeth.

"It's the most incredible sight I've ever seen," Violette gasped.

"It's been so long I've forgotten how beautiful this can be," Elizabeth added quietly, and she was surprised by Violette giving her a hug, which she returned in equal affection.

"Hey girls!" Benny called out, and the two girls glanced down below the ladder to see the little blue gnome waving at them. "We're going to watch a movie in the house! Want to come?"

"Yes, of course!" Elizabeth responded. "We'll be right down!"

Working together, Elizabeth and Violette carefully climbed down the ladder until they made it safely to the ground. Since the owners of the house were still out, probably out to work, the gnome colony sat in the living room and watched a movie on TV together (Kung Fu Panda) but during the commercial break there came a breaking news of garden gnomes mysteriously disappearing from their backyard homes across the neighborhood and the police were not concerned, yet the reporter made a joke to call someone named Sherlock Gnomes to help find the gnomes.

This piece of news made Lord Redbrick warn everyone to be careful and more vigilant.

During the movie, Violette aimed a worried expression at her parents and the rest of the gnome colony. If gnomes are disappearing from their gardens, it could mean the same thing was about to happen to her family.

"Don't worry, sweetheart." Elizabeth reassured her by gently sliding an arm around the child. "It's happening in another part of town, and your family is safe. I know it won't happen to this family."

"I hope you're right," Violette whispered hopefully, hugging her nanny.

After the movie was over, the gnomes and ornaments returned to the garden to retire for the night. Ms. Montague and Mr. Capulet had retired to their private suites when they returned home. Violette took her place upon the top of the pedestal with her parents, clicking to freeze in place. They had fallen asleep.

As for Elizabeth, she had to stay inside the house since she was a doll. She took up the shelf by using an scarf for a blanket as a bed. After what she had suffered through, Elizabeth had found peace at last with her new gnome family, but on the inside she hoped neither of them would find out her past.


	3. Mission: Get the Cupid's Arrow Orchid

_**Narrator's POV**_

Violette was the last to wake up, only to find that her parents and the other gnomes had already gone to their jobs, except for Benny as he was in a conversation with Nanette again. She found her parents holding two of the red goons by their ankles and thrusting their pointy hats into the leaves, removing them and placing them in different piles. She could make out the goons muttering 'I'm feeling nauseous.'

Violette giggled, but she heard her parents discussing over another fact, which seemed to leave her father in the dust after her mother left him, and her father looked quite upset. Sympathetically, she climbed down the pedestal to go over and cheer him up when she noticed the door opening. Elizabeth had managed to unlock the door and get herself out of the house and into the garden.

"Good morning, Elizabeth," greeted the little girl gnome.

"Good morning, sweetie. Did you sleep well?" asked Elizabeth.

"Yes I did. So, what do you want to go today?" Violette asked, immediately forgetting the reason why she came down the pedestal.

"I don't know," Elizabeth, after thinking it over briefly. "But last night, I have been thinking about the Seedling Ceremony."

"Why?" Violette raised her confused eyebrows.

"I had this idea that your parents could plant the seedling over there..." Elizabeth pointed to the far corner of the garden beneath an old altar, "as a reward for their hard work. Do you know any special seeds your parents would love to plant for the ceremony?"

Violette thought it over until her eyes lit up. "Yes, the Cupid's Arrow Orchid! It's the same flower that brought my parents together." She remembered that part of the story very well and it was her favorite part of the story. Her parents were both trying to steal that rare flower from an abandoned greenhouse until their hands touched the orchid at the same time - their eyes met and it was love at first sight.

"Excellent! Now where can we find this orchid?" Elizabeth wondered.

"I..." Violette opened her mouth to speak the answer, but realized she had no answer. She had no idea where to find this orchid. "...have no idea where to find one."

"Maybe we can ask your parents where to find one," said Elizabeth.

"I doubt it." Violette gestured toward her father, who was engaged in conversation with Nanette, and then toward her mother, who was scolding Tybalt for slaking off on the job. "They seem pretty busy. I could ask Featherstone."

"Okay, and I'll go look inside the house." Elizabeth nodded, turning back toward the open door. "Our owners are gardeners after all, so they're bound to have stored orchid seedlings here. I'll be right back."

No sooner Elizabeth had gone back inside the house, Violette overheard her father say this:

"Hey, Benny, can you help me find an orchid?"

"Step into my office," said Benny.

"Are they talking about the Cupid's Arrow Orchid too?" Violette said, her curiosity piqued.

At a distance, she followed her father and uncle to the creaky old garden shed. Hiding behind the door, Violette made sure not to be caught and eavesdrop on their conversation. Benny pulled back an old potato sack like a curtain. Behind the sack was a slightly cracked laptop, two old cellphones, and a webcam. Benny had set it up like a gnome-sized surveillance van. Benny pried open the laptop. As the monitor came to life, a photo of Nanette appeared on the screen. A made up song recorded by Benny about 'Benny, I love you' played over and over on the monitor.

"Um, that was on there when I found it," Benny said hurriedly, tapping on the laptop keys to get rid of his screen saver and trying to cover his embarrassment.

"Yeah, sure it was," Gnomeo teased.

It all made sense to Violette now. Her uncle Benny was in love with her aunt Nanette. _Awww, how cute._ Violette thought sweetly.

"Type in Cupid's Arrow Orchid," Gnomeo instructed.

Benny started to type in the name of the flower. Though the name already came in the bar, Gnomeo told him to click it instead of typing the whole sentence. A number of photos with different flowers appeared on the screen. Benny scanned the list of results, searching for what Gnomeo was looking for.

"There!" Gnomeo shouted, jabbing his finger at the Cupid's Arrow Orchid photo. "That's the one. The first time we met, we were trying to get one of those."

Benny landed on a website of a flower shop that owned the orchid. The name of the flower shop was called Wisteria Lodge.

"So we just need to find that flower shop," Benny said, gesturing to the photo of the name of the flower shop that withheld this orchid. He clicked on the directions. "Zero point eight miles. And looks like there's a massive blue line on the ground you can follow. Isn't that handy?"

"Let's do this!" exclaimed Gnomeo. He was ready for his grand romantic gesture for Juliet, his lovely and courageous wife.

"You said it, Daddy," Violette added, pushing the door open and walking in.

Gnomeo and Benny screamed, startled by the little girl's voice and her sudden appearance.

"Violette!" gasped Gnomeo, placing a hand on his chest. "What are you...what are you doing here?" he tried to be serious toward her, but he was given an answer he wasn't expecting.

"I'm coming with you, Daddy," Violette announced.

"What?" Gnomeo's mouth was agape.

"Uh, we don't need little kids for a..." Benny tried to come up with an excuse, but he couldn't come up with nothing.

"Lawnmower race!" Gnomeo cut in, hoping it worked. "Sorry, sweetheart. You're too young for a lawnmower race."

"You're going to get Mommy the orchid, I'm not naïve, Daddy," Violette scowled, irritated how the adults thought she would fall for something so ridiculous.

"Busted." Benny mumbled.

"Listen, you're not coming with me," Gnomeo told her, his expression got more stern. "It's a tough world out there and you-"

"Daddy! It's either you take me with you or...I'm gonna have to tell Mommy, or Grandpa and Grandma." Violette crossed her arms and her own expression turned firm, but at the same time, smirking.

Gnomeo and Benny exchanged worried faces. She had them in her palms for blackmail. Gnomeo could've send her on a timeout, but his daughter would eventually tell Juliet about his plan, and his plan would be ruined and he would be the one in a timeout. But as he gazed into her facial expression, she couldn't help reminding him of his wife. Juliet often made that face when she just proved how tough and determined she is. Maybe, just this one experiences of allowing her to come along couldn't hurt.

"Alright." Gnomeo sighed, nodding.

Violette's eyes lit up, an excited smile spread across her mouth.

"What? Gnomeo, are you serious?" Benny couldn't believe his ears, his best friend inviting his own daughter to his mission.

"You let me worry about it." Gnomeo brushed it off, before he turned to his daughter. "You stay close with me, and don't wander off," he firmly told her, and she nodded.

Together, the trio made a plan. Violette and Benny took one of the cell phones and tapped it to Gnomeo's back. Gnomeo's cell phone buzzed when Benny dialed the number so the phone could stay on and the two of them can communicate. Next, Benny and Violette took the webcam and fastened it to Gnomeo's blue hat with extra tape. Benny checked the audio and visual outputs on the laptop.

"I'll have eyes and ears on you at all times," said Benny. "If you need something, you say the word."

"But what am I going to tell Elizabeth?" asked Violette, suddenly remembering her nanny.

"If anyone comes in asking for either of you, I'll just tell them you went on a father-daughter trip," Benny replied cheerfully.

"A trip to where?" Gnomeo asked, raising an eyebrow.

"How about a walk in the neighborhood?" suggested Violette.

"That could work," said Gnomeo, shrugging.

"All right, mate," Benny announced. "Let's go liberate our flower."

* * *

While the other gnomes were preoccupied with their chores around the garden, Gnomeo (who had covered himself in mud to disguise himself) and Violette snuck out of the garden and turned a corner around the neighborhood by following Benny's directions, hiding within the shrubs of bushes from a busy street where the flower shop stood before them, the very shop that withheld the orchid.

However the minute she left the garden with her father, Violette's breath caught in her throat. "Wow!" Even though she had seen the outside world through a tiny hole in a box yesterday, seeing it all up close and personal was absolutely stunning.

"Violette, stay close!" cautioned Gnomeo, snapping her back to reality.

"Tiny Dancer and Lil' Violet. Come in, Tiny Dancer and Lil' Violet," Benny's voice crackled over the cell phone. "This is Benny one-oh-one dash brackets, the Benlord, closed brackets, exclamation mark, smiley face emoji, dollar sign, dollar sign."

Up ahead, the owner of the flower shop turned the sign from 'open' to 'closed', giving the gnomes their chance to break in. Gnomeo noticed an empty alley next to the shop. It would be the perfect spot to get inside.

"You have got to pick another code name," Gnomeo moaned.

"What's an emoji?" Violette wondered.

"There's no time," Benny said, hitting a few keys on his laptop.

"Violette, hold my hand and don't let go," Gnomeo instructed, and his daughter nodded.

Using the human passerby's luggage or baby stroller, Gnomeo and Violette sprinted across the street and used the garbage's bucket as cover to get into the alley next to the shop, yet they avoided being seen by a bicyclist and hid in a tight spot.

"Benny, can you-" Gnomeo was about to say, until Benny from the other end of the line.

"Benny one-oh-one dash brackets, the Benlord, close brackets, exclamation mark, smiley face emoji, dollar sign, dollar sign, yes?"

Gnomeo rolled his eyes and face palmed.

"He really needs a shorter and better code name," added Violette.

"Can you pull up the shop's blueprints and show me the best entry point?" Gnomeo asked.

Little did they know that Benny received a warning pop up on screen, he couldn't give his friends the blue prints they needed. "Yes, I can...no, I can't. Over."

Gnomeo grunted irately, he was beginning to doubt whether Benny was actually helping him.

Violette scanned the side of the building and noticed a ventilation shaft above them. "Hey! How about that ventilation shaft? It's only a few feet up. Can we try it?"

"I suppose it could," said Gnomeo. "Will that get me inside, Benny?"

"I have no idea," replied Benny, trying to get rid of the pop ups. "It might. Over."

Working together, father gnome and daughter gnome pushed a garbage can beneath the shaft where they could climb on top, removed the screws of the grille of the ventilation shaft, and heaved themselves down into the ventilation shaft. They slid down the shaft until they came to another grille. With a swift kick from Gnomeo, the grille flew open. Gnomeo and Violette jumped through, entering the Wisteria Lodge flower shop, and landed as quietly as they could on the table while hiding behind a plant pot.

"All right, we're in," Gnomeo whispered.

"We did it!" Violette exclaimed, almost loudly until her father shushed her.

"Nice work, Tiny Dancer and Lil' Violet!" Benny cheered.

As Gnomeo and Violette looked around the shop, they could see flower bouquets and garden plants arranged on three tiered stands and inside glass display cases. In one display case, there stood the Cupid's Arrow Orchid. Violette wanted to go over and get it, but her father held her back. Gnomeo had see red sensor beams moving over every surface of the shop.

"What are those red dots?" Violette asked, curiously pointing at beams.

"Those red beams must be the burglar alarm," explained Benny. "What's your plan, Tiny D?"

Gnomeo tied a yellow satin ribbon around his waist so he could climb back up the shelf after he succeeded, while explaining the rest of the plan. "Oh, just the usual, totally gonna wing it, risk life and limb, escape by the skin of my teeth. I call it 'pulling a Gnomeo.'" He turned to his daughter, looking serious. "Stay here, Violette."

"But I want to help," she protested, frowning.

"You can help by keeping an eye on those red beams," he told her. Gnomeo leapt off the table, doing a fancy dive on the way, and landed safely on the floor. "And don't call me Tiny D," he said to Benny on the phone.

He scurried up the shelf to the orchid's display case and opened the glass doors. Smiling, Gnomeo grabbed the stem of the orchid to pull it out of the vase. But it proved to be a difficult task.

Back at the garden shed, Benny kept his eyes glued to the laptop when he heard a familiar voice. He whirled around in horror.

"Gnomeo! Violette!" It was Juliet, who entered the garden shed with Elizabeth. "Benny, have you seen Gnomeo or my daughter?" she asked.

"I left Violette in the garden to go in the house to look for orchid seeds, and when I came back out, she was gone," explained Elizabeth.

"No...well...maybe," Benny winced.

Juliet and Elizabeth glanced at the laptop's screen and saw Gnomeo's hands trying to lift the Cupid's Arrow Orchid out of the vase.

"Is that Gnomeo? He left the garden?!" Juliet gasped.

Hearing her mother's voice, Violette winced. "Uh oh."

"Don't tell me Violette is with him!" came Elizabeth's panicked voice when she heard the little girl's voice.

Gnomeo also heard his wife and nanny's voices over the phone. He swung around, yanking the orchid out of the vase, but lost his balance and struck against a wooden plinth The glass vase from on top was about to fall, but Gnomeo barely managed to grab the vase before it crashed to the floor. He wiped his forehead and heaved a sigh of relief. Violette also heaved a sigh of relief.

Behind him, the plinth began to topple over.

"Oh fertilizer," muttered Gnomeo.

The plinth hit the floor, causing the burglar alarm to wait loudly.

"Daddy, run!" Violette screamed, fearing for her father and holding her ears to block out the alarm.

"Violette, get out of here!" he shouted.

"I'm not leaving without you!" she objected.

Holding the orchid, Gnomeo leaped down from the display case and skirted for the door. But outside the shop, sirens blared and the silhouette of a police officer was heading toward the front door. They rattled at the lock, trying to open the door.

"Next time, remember to have an escape plan," Gnomeo told himself. "If there is a next time." He realized the yellow ribbon was left on the floor, but he didn't have time to use it to escape.

Gnomeo made a beeline for the ventilation shaft, climbing onto a bucket and jumped up to reach for the ledge, but instead he grabbed a roll of brown paper towels came loose and fell to the floor. "Violette!" he cried.

Violette leaned over and tried to reach for her father's hand to pull him up, but she was too small she couldn't reach his hand. Gnomeo tried to jump multiple times to reach his daughter's outstretched hand, but he never caught it.

Suddenly, two familiar faces popped out of the ventilation shaft. It was Juliet and Elizabeth. They had tracked down where their loved ones were and found them just in the nick of time.

"Mommy! Elizabeth!" Violette cried, relieved to see them.

"C'mon, we've got to get out of here!" Elizabeth took the child by the hand and lead her back into the shaft to escape.

"Hurry!" Juliet cried, holding out her hand to Gnomeo.

Taking another leap, Gnomeo grabbed onto Juliet's outstretched hand. She yanked him through the vent, just as the police burst inside.

* * *

The sky darkened as gray clouds covered the sun and rain started to pour rapidly over London. Lightning flashed and thunder crashed at the same time.

Gnomeo, Juliet, Violette and Elizabeth were running through alleyways to escape the Wisteria Lodge flower shop. After rescuing Gnomeo and Violette, the foursome had crawled through the vent and exited the shop, and were now heading full speed down the alleyway, getting as far away from the crime scene as possible.

But even though they were safely blocks away, a fuming Juliet kept going at a fast pace.

"Slow down, Mommy!" Violette panted, her energy ran low.

"Juliet, wait! Stop!" Gnomeo panted, brushing an old piece of paper of out his face. "I can explain-"

"What on earth were you thinking?" Juliet cried in aggravation. "Taking our daughter out of the garden and almost getting smashed in the shop!"

"I stayed right by the shaft!" Violette protested. "I only wanted to help get the Cupid's Arrow Orchid for you and Daddy to plant at the Seedling Ceremony!"

"You are supposed to stay in the garden where you belong, young lady!" Juliet scolded, glaring at her daughter. "And you, my daughter was supposed to be under your watch and left to go look for some seed!" she yelled at Elizabeth.

"I didn't know she what she was up to!" Elizabeth objected. "I just wanted to look for orchid seeds for you and Gnomeo to plant for the ceremony!"

"You don't need to worry about the orchid seed, Elizabeth." Gnomeo held up the Cupid's Arrow Orchid, trying to save his grand romantic gesture for Juliet and hoping she recognized the beautiful flower that had brought them together. "I was getting this. Remember this?"

"You risked getting smashed for some flower?" Juliet sighed incredulously, not even caring what kind of flower it was.

"Not _some_ flower. _Our_ flower. I did this for you. We all did this for you." Gnomeo replied, before pulling the tape off his face and the rain had washed away all the mud off his body.

"You did this for me? For me?" Juliet asked incredulously again. "I've got responsibilities. I don't have time for this."

"No, you just don't have time for _us_." Gnomeo retorted, suddenly feeling hurt.

"And you never have time for _me_!" Violette cut in, her anger ruffled. "All you seem to care about is that stupid garden!"

"That garden is your home! I'm supposed to take care of it!" Juliet told her off. "There will be plenty of time for us _after_ I get the garden ready. A good leader always puts the garden first."

"Unbelievable!" Gnomeo snorted. "What do you care more about: the garden or me?"

"Oh, you're being ridiculous!"

"That's not an answer!"

Juliet had enough with the trio; Gnomeo's dangerous selfish acts and endangering their daughter, Elizabeth neglecting her responsibility and allowing her child to sneak out, Violette's stubborn attitude and constant nagging over wanting to play games. "The garden can't wait," she coldly told them. " _And you three can!_ "

The trio stared at Juliet, shocked and hurt. Gnomeo could feel his heart cracking. If he or Violette could cry right now, the rain drops were doing it for them, trickling down their cheeks.

Violette felt her own heart ache by the sting of her mother's words. "I hate you, Mommy!" she whispered, on the verge of crying. She now wished she never risked her life getting the orchid. Her own mother never cared for her or her father, all she cared about was that stupid garden.

Suddenly, the cell phone crackled to life.

"Gnomeo! Help!" screamed Benny. "There's something here! It's a-AAHHHH!"

"Benny! What's going on?" Gnomeo demanded worriedly, glancing over his shoulder at the phone from his back.

There was no reply. The line had gone dead.

"Something's wrong! We have to get back to the garden!" exclaimed Elizabeth.

The group raced across the back alleyways of the neighborhood. Unaware that two figures were running across the rooftop to the same garden that belonged to Ms. Montague and Mr. Capulet. They rounded the final corner and made it to the garden gate, and they burst into the garden, each of them gasping for air.

To their horror, the entire garden was empty and there was not a single gnome in sight.


	4. Sherlock Gnomes and Dr Watson

_**Elizabeth** **'s POV**_

I couldn't believe my eyes. The garden was empty and all of the gnomes are gone. Benny mentioned something about an intruder over the phone before it disconnected on us. What could have happened to them? Where did they go? And who took them? I glanced over at Gnomeo and Juliet and Violette, they were calling out for Benny, Lady Bluebury, Lord Redbrick, Nanette or anybody else. No answer responded to them.

"Nobody is here. They're all gone!" cried Gnomeo.

All of a sudden, I thought I noticed two shadows swooping through the air. Just as I began to wonder what those were, two strangers landed in front of us after hastily climbing down the ladder.

One was tall, lean and thin with chocolate brown hair with brown eyes, a long face with a sharp hawk-like nose, a tiny white gnome goatee on his sharp chin, he wore a flared green tweed coat and checkered hunting cap (or famously known as a deerstalker cap). The other one was short and plump with a black moustache connected to white gnome muttonchops, he wore a bluish gray coat and bowler hat, and he carried a walking cane. I would later learn that their names are Sherlock Gnomes, the tall gnome in green, and Dr. Gnome Watson, the shorter gnome.

For a brief moment, I stared mesmerizingly at Sherlock. He was incredibly handsome, more handsome that any male gnome in all of London's gardens. I felt my heart thumping in my throat. His voice had a cold yet intelligent tone to it. He was so attractive...Ugh, I shook my head to snap myself back to reality. I should be worried about my friends and family, not falling in love with a stranger I just met.

"We're too late," said Sherlock, as he surveyed the scene and frowned.

Watson shooed all of us toward the side. "Please step back. This is an active crime scene."

Sherlock started studying the ground for any traces of evidence left by whoever stole our family.

"Hey! Who are you, and what are you doing in our garden?" Juliet protested angrily. I can't say I blame her for not liking the fact that two strangers had dropped into our garden without an invitation.

" _Your_ garden?" Watson turned around from inspecting the garden. "Where were the four of you when this happened?" he asked suspiciously.

"Ugh. They were having not only a lovers' quarrel, but also a family quarrel," Sherlock sighed as he explained. "See how she's facing away from him? She's angry with him." This was true, that Juliet had her back turned to Gnomeo. "The flower in his hand was intended as a romantic gesture - a desperate act that predictably backfired...especially when asking his own child to accompany him upon a dangerous task."

"Oye!" Gnomeo groaned. Even though Sherlock was right, it still didn't feel good to the blue gnome to be reminded of his fail plan.

"And the little girl is staying beside the young lady with red hair, she is the child's nanny, ordered to take care of their child as a result of garden duties due to this untidy and uncared for garden you see before you," Sherlock continued. "The child is hurt and angry, scolded by her mother for going along with her father's plan, and now believes her mother doesn't care about her and only cares about the garden. And the lady is disappointed because she failed in her job to keep a watchful eye on the child."

"How did you know all of that? You speak as if you were there." I asked, suddenly curious as to how this handsome gnome knew everything that had happened.

But Sherlock didn't seem to hear me, or probably ignored my question. "Watson, search the west quadrant," he ordered. "If that fiend is behind this, he will have left a clue."

Violette saw a square-shaped object lying on the ground. "What's this?" she asked out loud. Her words caught out attention. She bent down and picked it up. It was a card with an M written on it, and a photograph of a 9.

Sherlock strode over toward the little girl. "Let me see that."

Violette was about to give the card to him when Juliet placed a hand in front of her, blocking her way from Sherlock or as if wanting to protect her daughter from this stranger. "Tell us what it is," she said.

"It's a clue," Sherlock replied, annoyed. "It will lead us to our next destination. And if you ever want to see your friends and family again, you'll hand it over!"

Reluctantly, Juliet nodded at her daughter to do what he said. Violette gently gave the card to Sherlock.

"The 9..." he said, as he inspected the card and the photograph. "There's a slight crack in its leg. Where have I seen this particular 9 before?"

As he stood before us, gripping his fingers to his forehead as if lost in deep thought or his mind had gone to the clouds. I didn't understand what he was doing or what was going on inside of his head, but the next instant he snapped his head up.

"Aha! I've got it! To Chinatown, Watson," Sherlock announced. "That game is afoot!" He placed the card inside his coat pocket and started for the gate, with his companion in tow.

Gnomeo wasn't going to let them get away without any answers to what's going on. "Mate, you're going nowhere until you tell us what you know!" He grabbed Sherlock's elbow, only to be roughly flipped onto his backside by the gnome detective.

As Sherlock rushed out of the garden, Watson turned to Gnomeo apologetically, "Stay here! We're on the case." And he took off running after his partner.

Gnomeo couldn't believe he had been judo-flipped by Sherlock and he scowled at the detective. "What a complete and total-"

Juliet cut him off, hurrying after Sherlock and Watson. "Get up. We're going after them."

Grumbling, Gnomeo got to his feet and took off after Juliet, but not before he told me and Violette, "Stay here!"

"Oh no I'm not!" Violette retorted, frowning in determination as she darted after her parents.

"Violette, wait! Hold on!" I called, finding my own legs racing out of the garden and following the five gnomes ahead of me.

I found the gnomes rushing through another gate and Violette tripping over her feet. Without stopping, I slid across the ground and scooped her up in my arms. I caught sight of Watson flipping open the top of his cane and pressed a remote-control switch, and a manhole covered lifted open, revealing the sewage system underneath. That is really impressive.

Without breaking stride, Sherlock and Watson plunged into the darkness of the sewers below. Juliet ran toward the manhole and leaped down into the sewer and disappeared from view.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!" Gnomeo shouted, jumping in after her.

As much as I wanted to go back and stay in the garden with Violette, something in the back of my mind told me to keep moving forward and follow them. Still holding Violette in my arms, I took a deep breath and jumped in after them, just as the sewer lid closed above us.

Climbing down the ladder as carefully as I could, I heard the sounds of splashing. Looking down, I spotted Sherlock and Watson climbing onto a boat. On the back was a fan tied to it. Sherlock turned it on and I heard him shout 'All ahead full, Watson!' The blades began to whirl in the fan and the boat immediately skated across the water.

I caught up with Gnomeo and Juliet at the edge, catching our breath. I wanted to put Violette down, but the two gnomes started running in a different direction to catch up to the boat. Hoisting Violette on my back I told her, "Hang on and don't let go." We pursued the boat through a twisted long stretch of a tunnel, but to me it felt like an unsafe bridge that would collapse any moment while crossing it. Thankfully, it didn't collapse.

I was beginning to think we would never catch up to the boat, but the boat came to a stop right at the right moment when the water had suddenly vanished from beneath their boat. Juliet and Gnomeo swooped in on them and I followed afterward.

"Tell us what happened to our family!" Juliet demanded.

"We don't have time for this," Sherlock retorted. "Now will you please step aside?"

"Not until you tell us what's going on here!" Gnomeo frowned.

Suddenly, a sewer rat emerged from the dark shadows and ran by, startling all of us.

"Eww!" I hated rats, especially ones from the sewer.

"Here they come." Watson gestured at the tunnel behind them.

"And now we have a rat problem, thanks to these meddlesome amateurs," said Sherlock, glaring at us.

"Who are you calling-" Violette was about to make some snappy remark until her face turned white in horror.

I looked ahead to see why. A giant stampede of rats appeared, running directly toward us. Gnomeo and Juliet stood frozen with fear, just like I did.

"If you don't want to get rat-trampled, I suggest you help Watson pull," Sherlock ordered, holding one end of a rope.

"Come on, give me a hand!" Watson yelled.

Their words brought us back to reality and we sprang into action. I placed Violette on the boat, then proceeded to help Juliet and Gnomeo assist Watson and Sherlock hauling away on the rope, lifting the boat up, inch by inch. We barely managed to raise the boat out of the way before the rats stampede reached us. It seemed like forever as the rodents passed beneath our boat. I hoped none of those creatures leap onto the boat and try biting us. Luckily, none of them did.

Once the stampede died down, Violette gasped, "Whew! That was close."

"Whew!" repeated Sherlock, glancing down at her. "Young gnome, what exactly do you think those rats were running _from?_ "

A loud rumble echoed throughout the sewer. It looks like our nightmare wasn't over yet.

All of a sudden, a tidal wave of rushing water came flooding down the sewer tunnel. We all hung on to the boat as the wave slammed into us, hurling the boat through the sewer tunnels. The waves pushed and shoved our boat from side to side as he journeyed down the tunnel.

Sherlock pointed to an opening in the brick walled tunnel, but he lost his grip on the fan and was thrown helplessly off the boat.

"Grab on!" I called out, lunging forward and caught Sherlock's hand just as he was about to go flying off the boat.

I felt my body slowly leaning over the edge of the boat and I thought I would fall into the water, had Watson not come to my rescue. He caught hold on my other hand and he held on tightly. Gnomeo kept a firm grip on Watson and the fan to try and help us. I hoped Violette was alright, especially Juliet.

I glanced over my shoulder for brief second. I was amazed to see Juliet and Violette working together to turn the handle and stir the boat towards the opening. Turning back to Sherlock, I gave a mighty tug and the three of us yanked him back to safety.

Even though we made it through the next tunnel, the rough waters hurled us against the walls multiple times, smashing the boat into bits of pieces. We all leapt onto a green bottle that emerged safely through the tunnel's exit. The water composed, calming down at last.

"Well... we're still in... one piece..." Violette panted, feeling the adrenaline of the ride wear off.

Sherlock leaped off the bottle, and the impact had thrown Watson into the water. The rest of us leapt off the bottle and onto the nearby ledge.

"Are you okay?" Gnomeo asked his wife and daughter.

"We're fine, Daddy," Violette assured him.

"I'm alright too," I told him, even though I wasn't asked.

"You were saying something about 'meddlesome amateurs?'" Juliet asked, facing the detective with a smirk.

"I... stand by that assessment," Sherlock said, shrugging his shoulders. "But if you insist on meddling, perhaps you could supplement Watson's efforts."

Watson's head popped out of the water and spat some of the water out of his mouth. "How thoughtful," he muttered.

"What did you say your names were?" Sherlock asked.

"We didn't. I'm Gnomeo," said the blue gnome huffily.

"I'm Juliet," said the red gnome.

"I'm Violette," chirped the little purple girl gnome.

"I'm Elizabeth, their child's nanny," I introduced myself.

"I'm Sherlock Gnomes, the world's first consulting detective and sworn protector of London's garden gnomes," introduced the detective.

"And I am-" Watson began his introduction until he was rudely cut off.

"To the surface, Watson! We've not a moment to lose!" Sherlock shouted.

Watson scoffed at his partner's rudeness. I helped him out of the water and back on dry land.

"Look, now that we're on the team, how about you tell us what's going on," Juliet said, gesturing to the M card. "Starting with this."

Watson nodded and began to fill us in on the details. "The M stands for Moriarty - Sherlock's archenemy." I remembered hearing this Moriarty is a bubbly yellow mascot for pies, but I don't understand why a pie mascot would want to kidnap gnomes so I kept listening. "Some ornaments are just manufactured evil. And Moriarty was the most evil of them all. For years, Moriarty terrorized the ornamental world. Until he met his match in Sherlock Gnomes, and beating Sherlock became his obsession. So Moriarty began to play a terrible game. He would kidnap gnomes, leave a trail of clues as to their locations, and challenge us to find them within twenty-four hours or he'd smash them."

"He's going to smash our friends and family?!" Gnomeo gasped incredulously.

"Oh my gosh!" I gasped as I placed a hand over my mouth.

"We got to save them!" Violette declared.

"How do we stop them?" asked Juliet.

"We play his game," answered Sherlock. "We follow his trail of clues and find the gnomes before our twenty-four hours are up." He beckoned to us and pointed to a ladder that led up to another manhole cover, and to our first location of the clue.


	5. The Chinese Emporium

**_Narrator's POV_**

On a beautifully colorful lit up street, a manhole cover slid aside and six individuals climbed out of the sewer and looked around. None of them were awed by the sight before them, other than Violette as her eyes grew larger with every second of what she witnessed.

A painted metal gate with a green roof decorated with fire-breathing dragons rose above them. Strings of Chinese and British flags criss-crossed the brick row houses that lined the street. The Chinese restaurants served the most delicious foods to its hungry customers. Strings of glowing Chinese lanterns lined the street beautifully. A few Chinese acrobats performed daring and incredible tricks on the street, impressing the crowd of onlookers. A few window shops displayed alluring Chinese art, fashion or cute toys.

"What is this place?" Violette asked in awe.

"This is Chinatown, child," explained Watson.

"It's so pretty. But why is it called Chinatown?"

"Didn't your parents tell you?" Watson glanced in Gnomeo and Juliet's direction, wondering why the child's parents never told her.

"No. I was trying to help Daddy get the Cupid's Arrow Orchid for Mommy, but all she cares about is that stupid garden," Violette grumbled.

"You know I can hear you," Juliet said, aiming a frown in her daughter's direction.

"And we're not touring Chinatown either," added Sherlock, taking the little girl by the arm and lead her away from the street and through an alley towards the back end of a building. "We need to stay hidden, and we have to go undercover."

"Undercover?" Violette questioned baffled. "Where are we going?"

"To Curly Fu's Chinese Emporium ," replied Sherlock.

After leaving the street, Sherlock assisted Watson in prying open the building's window, then beckoned the others to follow him. The group climbed in through the window and snuck past a man with his back towards them listening to his headphones.

"If you recall, the last time we were here, it was a bit of a catastrophe," Watson quietly reminded his friend.

"Yes, I have a faint memory of some unpleasantness," Sherlock whispered, frowning.

Sherlock began rummaging through a box and tossed several objects and accessories at Violette, Gnomeo, Juliet and Elizabeth.

"What are these for?" Elizabeth asked.

"Put these disguises on so we don't get spotted," Sherlock instructed.

Once everyone was in costume, Sherlock drew the curtain back. It was a bustling area filled with many different types of Chinese toys and ornaments. Violette, with a paper lantern covering her tiny body, gazed in awe at the aisles and dolls, until a young Chinese boy around her age waved at her, and she waved back shyly. The boy had black hair pulled back in a small high bun, his eyes a brown color, and his attire a bright scarlet shirt and pants with gold trimming.

Elizabeth, wearing a washcloth around her like a cloak and hood, looked just as fascinated as the little girl. She bumped into Sherlock from behind when not paying attention to where she was going.

"Careful!" he whispered harshly, glancing over his shoulder at her.

"Sorry," Elizabeth grinned sheepishly. "This is my first time here."

"Look, just act natural and don't attention to us," he firmly instructed.

As the group continued walking down the aisles, a Chinese ornament had spotted them and rushed off to report to his mistress. A loud gong sounded. Dozens of white lucky cats appeared around the corner. They lead an elaborate procession and marched in an elegant line right toward the group.

"I'm fairly sure we've been spotted," Watson told the others.

White lucky cats rounded the corner, carrying an enormous golden lucky cat on a pillow. The crowd chanted in Chinese announcement of the giant golden cat. Sherlock and Watson bowed. Gnomeo and Juliet bowed with them. Violette was confused to why the adults had to bow to this huge golden lucky cat.

"Bow to her," Elizabeth whispered, bowing before the golden cat.

Violette got down on her knees and her hands on the floor. "Like this?" she asked to make sure.

"That's right." Elizabeth nodded approvingly.

The golden cat batted the air, as if gesturing the group to stand up again.

A saltshaker figurine emerged from out of nowhere to translate the golden cat's language. "Her Highness the Grand Empress, Dowager Pom-Pom," he announced loud and clear.

"Meow," said the golden cat called Pom-Pom.

"Empress Pom-Pom remembers you, Sherlock Gnomes," intoned the saltshaker.

"Oh good!" Sherlock exclaimed, looking quite pleased.

"Not fondly," the saltshaker added frowning.

"Oh, less good," Sherlock muttered, his smile weakening and shrank down in his coat slightly.

"I see you received the orchid I sent to apologize for our last encounter," Watson said, glancing up at orchid on a shelf close by.

"Meow," said Empress Pom-Pom.

The saltshaker translated while frowning, "A gracious gift. But you are not the one who offended the Empress. Sherlock is. So I'm afraid I must ask you all to leave." He threw bits of salt at the detective, which didn't seem to bother him.

"He's very sorry," Watson said nervously as he turned to Sherlock. "Tell her how sorry you are."

"I'm sorry I wasted my time solving your case," Sherlock said rudely.

"Now, technically, that was an apology," Watson mumbled, knowing trouble was brewing.

Sherlock tossed the mop off his head, announcing, "Dozens of gnomes are in danger, so would you kindly step aside and let me continue my investigation?!"

But the Empress Pom-Pom glared down at him, meowing rapidly at the detective.

"No," translated the saltshaker. "Now leave. Shoo, shoo!"

The Empress gave the signal, and a few red lucky cats appeared. They looked very much like bodyguards and attempted to force the group to leave.

"Please, we just need to take a look around," Juliet pleaded. "It's very important."

Ignoring her, the red cats advanced on Juliet, who pleaded desperately to no avail.

"Oye! I'm warning you. Back off!" Gnomeo jumped in front of the red cats, protecting his beloved Juliet.

As the cats tried to advance, Gnomeo accidently knocked both of them down. One of the red cats tumbled down near the aisle, knocking all of the lucky cats down like dominos. The other one crashed headlong into the tiny white cats under the Empress's pillow. The tiny cats staggered and meowed loudly, and the pillow they carried wobbled over taking the Empress Pom-Pom with them. With a loud meow, the giant golden cat toppled over and landed onto the floor, knocking the saltshaker down as well.

"Now you've done it," Elizabeth grumbled at Gnomeo, and Juliet seemed to agree with her on Gnomeo making things worse.

Empress Pom-Pom screeched, and the saltshaker called, "GUARDS!"

A number of multiple black ninja lucky cats appeared out of nowhere, wheeling in on Gnomeo and Juliet and their group, hissing menacingly and exposing golden sharp claws.

"You will have to fend them off, Watson, so I can find the clue," Sherlock ordered.

"Ugh. Here we go again," sighed Watson.

"You help Watson. I'll help Sherlock," Juliet told her husband, before she raced off with the detective. "Elizabeth, Violette, come with me!"

"You got it!" Elizabeth didn't want to take part in a fight against cats, so she scooped up Violette and rushed out of the area.

"Huh, what? Oh great." Gnomeo groaned, but he turned to the large pack of cats and got ready to assist Watson in fighting off the ninja cats.

While the two gnomes battled the cats downstairs, Sherlock and Juliet and Elizabeth and Violette raced through the aisles, and entered a back area of aisles at the end of the emporium.

"What are we looking for?" asked Elizabeth, setting Violette down on the floor.

"An assistant to ask questions," Sherlock replied rudely.

Juliet glared at the detective, wondering if she should've stayed back to help Gnomeo and Watson. But she wanted to make sure her child was safe and not involved in the cross fire. "Are you always this rude?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

"That was a question," Sherlock hastily responded.

The group scanned and searched a wall filled with multiple shelves, trying to find the next clue Moriarty had left for them. As he gazed at the shelves, his hawk-eyed vision zoomed in on one object. He climbed up the topmost shelf and showed the women what had caught his eye.

"It's a cuckoo clock," said Elizabeth, looking baffled.

Sherlock turned the clock key over in his hands. "This shouldn't be here. A clock is a terribly offensive gift in Chinese culture." He turned the clock to 8:43, and the tiny doors sprang open, momentarily startling Elizabeth.

Instead of a cuckoo bird, a green model airplane flew out. On its wing, there was a red and white and blue and yellow circle painted next to the letters N and V. An M card was stuck to its other wing.

From below the shelf, Violette watched Sherlock remove the card and inhaled it like it was some kind of intoxicating drug he liked. She thought that was the weirdest thing he had ever done.

Just then, the same boy who waved at her earlier appeared out of nowhere, momentarily startling the little girl. Violette placed a hand on her chest to catch her breath and calm her beating heart.

"Sorry about that," said the boy. "I just wanted to say ni hao."

"Huh?" Violette didn't understand the word.

"It means hello," explained the boy.

"Oh. Well, uh, hello. My name is Violette."

"My name is Taio. Why are you in the emporium with that rude gnome, Sherlock?" the boy, called Taio, asked as he pointed at the detective on the shelf.

"Sherlock is helping us find our friends and family," explained Violette. "They were stolen by this evil pie mascot, Moriarty. I know Sherlock is rude and he can be a little strange, but he's all we've got left to finding my friends and family. If we don't find the gnomes, Moriarty is going to smash them all tomorrow."

Taio's eyes stared at the girl in surprise and concern. "That is bad news."

"Sorry about their little spat with the Empress but..." Violette added, but she was interrupted.

"Don't worry about it," Taio said, brushing it off like it was no big deal. "It happens to everyone in the emporium."

"MISS VIOLETTE!" Sherlock bellowed, interrupting the children's conversation. "Quit playing around, we've got to get out of here!"

The children could see the reason why they had to leave. A pack of black lucky ninja cats came running down the aisle. Sherlock, Juliet and Elizabeth climbed down and met up with Watson and Gnomeo, and they almost raced off down another aisle when Sherlock came running back shouting, "Other way!"

Another pack of black cats ambushed them in their patch, and it seemed there was no way out until...

"This way! Hurry!" It was Taio, gesturing for Violette and the four adults to climb up a flight of stairs he recently found.

The group hurriedly climbed or leapt up the staircase. Once they reached the top, the cats tumbled over one another at the base of the stairs, unable to stand and could only roll around. Violette and Taio laughed at their clumsiness, but their laughter was cut short to see more black lucky cats climbing over their fallen allies to navigate and climb up the staircase.

Sherlock tossed a few suction cups and paper lanterns at Violette and the other grown-ups. Violette was confused to why she needed them, but she decided to trust the detective to know what he was doing. Taio pried open a window slightly and gestured the others to escape through it. The group crawled out through the window and made it onto the ledge. Before leaving, Violette glanced back at Taio worriedly.

"I'll catch you later when it all blows over!" Taio shouted as he waved goodbye, before he was forcibly shoved aside by the black cats, who seemed angry at his betrayal as well as determined to catch the Violette and the others.

Watson fired his grappling hook from his cane toward the building on the other side. Using the paper lanterns to hang from their waists, the group began to crawl across the string and over the street below them. The lanterns were a perfect disguise, nobody seemed to notice their movements, or if they did, the humans assumed they were just another string of lanterns.

Violette was in-between her mother and Elizabeth, who made sure to keep an eye on the little girl. But Violette didn't care about looking down at the great height beneath her, all she cared about was Taio and hoped he was alright.

As if reading her mind, Elizabeth calmly assured her, "I'm sure your friend will be fine."

Sherlock reached the rooftop first. Watson was the next gnome to make it safely. Juliet came after, and then Violette. But just as Elizabeth and Gnomeo reached the roof, they heard menacing yowling and looked behind them.

The black lucky ninja cats were on the other side of the building, but one of them sprouted a single claw and began to saw away at the grappling hook string, which broke in a snap. Gnomeo and Elizabeth nearly fell, but he barely managed to grab onto the ledge and he caught hold of Elizabeth's hand.

"C'mon!" Watson cried, reaching his outstretched hand to them.

Gnomeo grabbed Watson's hand and, with Violette's assistance, the two gnomes barely managed to wrestle Gnomeo and Elizabeth to safety. Glancing up at Juliet, Gnomeo scowled to see his wife was too absorbed in working with Sherlock to get their lanterns ready. She was completely ignoring him and their child. She hadn't even known that he had nearly fallen off the roof. After all they had been through, he was losing her to some slick detective with a goofy hat.

Sherlock rushed toward the edge, held his finger up in the air and calculated the wind. "Get ready with those suction cups and lanterns!" he ordered. He attached the suction cups to his feet and the others did the same.

"Wait, what do you want us to do?" asked Elizabeth.

Sherlock smirked. "Jumping, of course." And with that, he stepped off the roof.

Elizabeth and Juliet gasped in shock, and they ran to the ledge. Looking down, they saw Sherlock was floating calmly down toward a bus as it passed underneath us and holding the lantern over his head using it as a parachute.

Everyone else followed his actions, with Elizabeth still close behind Violette to make sure the child would not be separated from them. The group floated down towards the bus and landed on its roof.

Violette heard Sherlock say something to her mother, but she couldn't hear due to the loud noise of traffic and hoped that wherever they were going, they would find the gnomes in time and save them from Moriarty.


	6. Separated!

**_Elizabeth's POV_**

An hour later, the bus turned to a wide avenue lined with plane trees and a long wrought iron gate, where a tall majestic building stood behind it. As the bus drove down a street, we had been told by Sherlock to jump onto a low-hanging branch in one of the plane trees. And so we did, the bus drove off and we made our way to the truck of the tree and hid among the leaves.

Unlike Chinatown where people were going back and forth, the street below us buzzed with activity. Humans walked about here and there, and a stream of cars honking politely at people crossing the street. This was not a safe place for a doll or a gnome to be out in the open. I noticed Watson pointing to see the majestic building before us. It had elegant twin towers and a cathedral entrance in front of them.

"What is this place?" I asked out of curiosity.

"The Natural History museum. The site of our last showdown with Moriarty," Watson whispered smiling. "Of course! That's where the clue is leading us."

"Oh please, Moriarty would never choose such an obvious location," Sherlock scoffed rudely.

Watson shrank down against his cane, his frown told us he was hurt by those words. I glared at Sherlock. Didn't he realize his friend was correct that the clue could have been in the very place where they last fought against Moriarty?

"All right, smart guy," Gnomeo growled, his scowl matched mine. "What's _your_ plan?"

"If you must know, we are going to the exhibit at the art gallery. I haven't cracked the latest clue yet, and the art helps me ruminate." Sherlock pointed to the gallery next door.

" _That's_ your plan?" exclaimed Gnomeo. "Art and thinking? Your museum's right there! Let's just go check it out. Mate, think about it. You beat this guy at the museum, right? And now he wants revenge. Don't you get it? He's waiting for you at the museum. He wants a rematch..."

I noticed Sherlock wasn't paying the slightest attention to Gnomeo. His eyes glazed over as he went off into his imagination. I didn't know what he was thinking, but the expression on his face told me whatever he was thinking about must be weird.

"Is he even listening to me?" Gnomeo said in agitation. "He's not listening, look!"

I had quite enough of this arrogant detective ignoring my friend. I waved my hand in his face trying to get his attention. When that didn't work, I smacked him right on the arm. "Snap out of whatever it is!" I demanded.

"Oh good. You stopped talking," said Sherlock, before he glowered at me. "And don't you ever smack me again, Miss Elizabeth!"

"Well excuse me, I thought you were drunk judging by the look on your face," I retorted.

"I was not drunk! I was in my mind palace!"

"Your what?" I was baffled by this response.

It was at that moment where Gnomeo was fed up with this arrogant detective.

"You know what, good luck with that. We're going to the museum." Gnomeo gestured to Juliet and the rest of us to follow him.

"Let's just go to the galley," Juliet didn't even bother going with her husband, and she placed a hand on Violette's arm to keep her from leaving.

"Are you serious? You're seriously choosing him over me?!" Gnomeo cried in disbelief.

"I'm not choosing anyone," Juliet retorted. "Sherlock knows this Moriarty guy and you don't."

"We're supposed to be partners. Gnomeo and Juliet, remember?"

"We _are_ partners," insisted Juliet.

"Well, it doesn't feel like it. It hasn't felt like it since we moved here." Gnomeo extended an open hand out to her, hoping she would reach for it. "Are you with me or not?"

Juliet glanced at his hand, but she didn't even bother touching it. "Don't do this." She made it clear that she was staying with Sherlock.

There was a moment of silence.

"And there it is," Gnomeo said heavily, before he dropped his hand and shimmied down the tree by himself.

"Can I go with him?" asked Violette.

"No, you're staying here with me and your nanny," Juliet firmly told her.

"Maybe we should try going to the museum," I suggested, but I got shut down by Juliet.

"Absolutely not! You have a job to do; watch my daughter!" She ushered her child in my direction, and Violette glowered at her mother as much as I did.

"Good. Now that the family drama is over, we can go to the gallery," said Sherlock.

"Should we go after him?" asked Watson.

"No, _we_ shouldn't. But _you_ may waste your time if you want," Sherlock replied huffily.

Watson sighed in disappointment. "Sherlock Gnomes." But I guess he must've known how Gnomeo felt, so he turned to Juliet and Violette. "Don't worry. I'll bring him back." And he climbed down the trunk as carefully as Gnomeo had done.

No sooner had the two gnomes had gone, the rest of us had to follow Sherlock to the modern art gallery. We kept to the shadows to avoid human eyes. As we neared out destination, I noticed Violette or Juliet stealing a glance back at the museum.

"Why do you keep looking back?" asked Sherlock. "He just severed your partnership."

"What does severe mean?" Violette implored.

"It means break up, young lady."

Violette's green eyes looked deeply hurt. "My parents are breaking up?"

"Now look what you did!" I chastised the detective. "You're making the child believe her parents are splitting up!" But to my chagrin, he didn't listen to me.

"We didn't break up," replied Juliet. "It was just a fight."

"Hmmm," hummed Sherlock, out of earshot.

"What exactly does 'hmmm' mean?" Juliet demanded.

"It means you were young and in love and so badly wanted a child, but your new garden duties were too much for a young couple to handle, and hiring a nanny to care for your child. Likelihood of a breakup: ninety-nine percent."

"Ninety-nine percent?" we all repeated in disbelief.

"I rounded down." Sherlock shrugged his shoulders and continued walking.

"Your so pessimist," I told him, and he responded by whirling his head back to glower at me again.

"Look, Gnomeo and I will be fine. You just focus on finding my friends and family," Juliet said, glaring.

"What is that?" Violette pointed, after having seen an enormous figure cut across one of the twin towers of the museum.

We all followed her gaze and had seen the mystery figure. Neither of us had any idea of what it was, but the detective seemed to know what it was.

"No footprints... of course..." he whispered.

"What do you mean?" I implored.

"That was a gargoyle, my dear," he told me. "And the gargoyle explains the absence of footprints." Then he noticed the janitor and gestured us into the bushes for cover and to not be seen.

As soon as the coast was clear, we emerged and we witnessed just in time to see Watson perched precariously on the edge of a skylight window on one of the towers. Just then, a huge gargoyle climbed out of nowhere. He had a familiar figure struggling in his talons.

"Gnomeo!" Juliet gasped helplessly.

"Daddy!" Violette screamed.

The gargoyle shoved Gnomeo into a bag and began climbing down to reach for Watson, who wobbled so badly to avoid getting caught, he lost his balance and tumbled through the air and out of sight. A few seconds later, we heard the horrible sound of a gnome crashing into pieces on the ground.

Juliet covered her mouth in horror.

Violette buried her face in my dress, sobbing.

I was horrified, staring at the scene before me, unable to think or believe what recently happened. A memory flashed in my mind over a similar event that occurred long before I met the gnomes, but I shook it out of my head.

"Watson!" Sherlock whispered solemnly.

The gargoyle left off the room with the bag in his hands.

This was the first time I had seen Sherlock reveal his emotions. "Come along, ladies. We must keep going," he said to us. "All those gnomes are depending on us."

It was a sad evening for all of us as we made it to the art gallery. We trailed after Sherlock, mourning the loss of our friends. When we reached the DeJong exhibit at the gallery, Sherlock pulled open a grate and we made out way inside. We emerged inside the exhibit.

"I'm sorry, Sherlock," I told him. "I can't imagine what you're feeling right now."

"This is truly one of the darkest days on my career," said Sherlock, until he turned serious. "I cannot believe that Moriarty is working with gargoyles."

"Wait, what?" we all gasped in disbelief at his sudden change of behavior.

"As soon as this case is over, I must retrieve Watson's map."

"That's what you care about? Gargoyles and some stupid map?" Juliet snapped.

"It's one of a kind. In the wrong hands-"

"Gnomeo got taken, he is gone! And Watson just got smashed!" she cried. "Why aren't you sad or angry about your friend?"

For a second, I caught a glimpse of shock in the eyes of Sherlock, until his normal cold expression returned. "Sadness and anger will not help me save one single gnome. Emotion is the enemy of logic."

"That is not an answer!" Juliet retorted, until she got shut down herself.

"The case can't wait! _You_ can." Sherlock snapped coldly.

I had heard those words before from Juliet, and those words cut me deep.

Juliet felt like she had a knife stabbed in her heart. She too heard those words before, but she had said them to Gnomeo. And now, she might never be able to take it back.

Heartbroken, Juliet reached for Violette's hand to take her to someplace where they will sleep for the night, but to her surprise, the child yanked her arm away with such force and whirled around, fire in her eyes.

"THIS IS ALL _YOUR_ FAULT!" the little girl bellowed, and she raced off in tears.

Juliet wanted to go after her, but I stood between them and placed my hand on her chest. "I'll find her," I told her. But the second Juliet turned away, I said bitterly, "Now you know how it feels to hear someone else tell you that you're not important."

I heard Juliet gasp at my words. I had to let her know how it felt. But in the back of my mind, I wish I had taken it back. I had heard those words before, and those words proved to be much harsh than what Juliet and Sherlock had said.

While Juliet climbed up a staircase to a spot where she could sleep, I went to find Violette but I heard Sherlock's sigh stop me. I looked over at him and I was stunned to see Sherlock in brief despair. I thought he said emotion is a weakness. A part of me said it would've served him right for forcing Watson on a suicide mission, but another part of me felt a pang of sympathy toward him.

"Are you okay, Sherlock?" I asked gently.

Sherlock didn't turn to look at me, but he knew I was there. "I'm fine," he said.

"Are you sure? If there's anything I could do..."

"No, I... ugh, I'll let you know when I've cracked the clue," he added briskly. "Just stay with the child and don't make a sound."

"I just wish you did care," I said coldly.

He glowered back at me until he froze in meditation. I shrugged my shoulders and decided to go look for Violette. I found her frozen in front of a strange sculpture. I waved my hand in her face, but I got no response. She probably cried herself to sleep. I froze in toy mode and slept beside her throughout the night.


	7. Royal Green Park

_**Narrator's POV**_

The early morning sunlight flooded through a glass window and inside the art gallery. Elizabeth remained frozen, or asleep, beside Violette who also slept soundly, with that same tearful upset expression on the child's face.

Sherlock, who by the that time deduced what the clue meant, gently shook the doll's shoulder. "Miss Elizabeth, wake up!" he said.

Elizabeth's blue eyes came to life and she was met by his stern brown eyes, startled by his wake up call. "Oh! Uh, good morning Sherlock," she greeted tiredly.

"You could say it is a good morning for me," Sherlock boasted proudly. "For I have cracked the clue!"

"Really? That's excellent! Elizabeth grinned, and then she turned to wake Violette.

The purple little gnome girl clicked to life and she yawned, "Morning Elizabeth."

"We better find your mother before we go."

The second Elizabeth mentioned her mother, Violette's sunny smile immediately changed to a cloudy frown. "Right," she grumbled."

"I take it the child is still angry with her mother," said Sherlock, striding off to find Juliet.

"Why did you tell her it was all her fault before you ran off?" Elizabeth asked.

"Because she's the reason why Daddy is gone," the child replied, her voice just as icy as Sherlock's when he decides to use it. "She never cared about me or him, all she cares about is that stupid garden. If we had gone to the museum..."

"The museum was clearly a trap," Sherlock cut in rudely. "If we did go to the museum, we could've been captured ourselves."

Elizabeth thought it over and knew he was correct. "I guess you're right, Sherlock. But Juliet was only trying to prepare the garden for winter." Elizabeth tried to explain to the child but to no avail.

"You heard what she said; the garden can't wait and we can," added Violette. "Besides, I'm glad Sherlock said those same words to Mommy. She deserved it. And definitely wish she was never my mother."

Elizabeth was stunned by the child's harsh words against her mother, but she sighed in defeat. It was no use trying to convince her otherwise. Violette did prove a point in that one. While she knew Juliet had gone too far on her poor choice of words, she knew the red gnome was only trying to be a good leader and tidy up the garden and prepare for the Seedling Ceremony.

"Miss Elizabeth!" interrupted Sherlock. "Might I have a word with you?"

"Uh, yes." Elizabeth rushed to the detective's side, with Violette trudging along behind her.

"How exactly did you become a nanny?"

"What brought that up?"

"Merely curious," replied the detective, his eyes wandering around the gallery admiring the artwork.

"Well, the gnomes found me in the garden shed right after they moved in... although Violette found me, and then Gnomeo and Juliet..." explained Elizabeth.

"Why were you in the garden shed? Why didn't you greet them upon their arrival?" Sherlock pressed curiously, his eyebrows lowered in a strange manner that told he found it suspicious.

Seeing him stare at her like that, Elizabeth gasped but she did her best to remain calm and told her backstory. "I used to live in the house that belonged Ms. Montague and Mr. Capulet, but there was a fire. My family and owner, they all perished in the fire... and part of the shed collapsed upon me so I couldn't get out, until the gnomes found me. They offered me the job of a nanny to Violette while they did their chores on tidying up the garden. I got cleaned up, given a new dress and cut my hair short."

"I see..." Sherlock said, not quite believing it but decided to let it go for now.

The detective knew that she was only telling him half the truth, because she had lied about being stuck in the shed due to the rubble collapsing on top of her judging by her hesitation to why she never greeted the gnomes right after they first arrived. He realized she must be hiding something, but if he pressured more questions out of her, she would deny anything that sounded like accusations. And then, an idea struck him. If he pretended to befriend the girl, he could place himself in her confidence and she will eventually confide in him the truth.

"My condolences about your family," Sherlock said, pretending to be sympathetic. "And for your owner. It truly must have been devastating." He took her hand in his own and gentle patted it.

Elizabeth was caught off guard by this sudden act of kindness. This wasn't like Sherlock. The doll glanced down at her hand, sandwiched between Sherlock's larger ones, and they felt surprisingly warm despite being a stone garden gnome. She gazed up into his eyes, which held that same dejected expression he endured after briefly mourning for Watson last night. "Thank you," she said softly to him, and he nodded in response.

"Are you two going to kiss?"

The two of them were startled by Violette's shout and looked over their shoulders to see the little girl looking back and forth between them, as if expecting them to do something romantic.

A pink blush found its way to Sherlock's cheeks and he released his hold on Elizabeth's hand, clearing his throat. "Uh, yes. We should go find your mother." He walked at a fast pace, but he paused for a moment to tell the child, "And no, I wasn't going to kiss her."

"Why would you think that?" Elizabeth asked, flabbergasted.

"Because of the way you looked at each other, its the same way my parents look at each other," said Violette, grinning.

"Violette, sweetie, I'm not in love with Sherlock. He was just being friendly over my past situation about the fire," she told the child, who didn't seem convinced.

The trio found Juliet at the top of a small staircase and Sherlock climbed up to tap her on the shoulder and wake her up. Juliet clicked to life and saw the detective beside one step below.

"Come on. Miss Juliet. I've got it. I cracked the..." Suddenly Sherlock froze in mid pose.

Juliet did the same, but Elizabeth and Violette didn't understand why. But there came the sound of the cleaning man approaching. Elizabeth and Violette froze immediately. The man paused when he only noticed Sherlock and Juliet on top of the staircase. Thinking they were part of the museum's collection, he sprayed Sherlock in the face with cleaning fluid and wiped his face with a cloth. Then he left to continue his work.

No sooner had the cleaning man had gone, the group sprung to life again, except Sherlock had come down with a sneezing problem thanks to the cleaning fluid.

"Ah-choo! Cracked the cue, I mean I cracked the clue," he sniffled, complaining. "Ugh. It's right up the back of my nose." He slid down the railing and lead the three females back to the grate, explaining his deductions. "The circle on the plane is a symbol used by the _Royal_ Air Force. And the squadron code N-V is to form the word 'Envy.' As in green with envy, which gives us royal and green. Ah-choo! The plane itself is the last piece of the puzzle. The planatus tree, or the plane tree, is the most common tree in the Royal Green Park. AH-CHOO!" he sneezed, ending his deductions.

"Bless you," said Violette, politely.

"It's nearly 9:00 and we only have twelve hours to save those gnomes." Sherlock had lead everyone back to the grate where he climbed in first, but not before he allowed Violette to climb in first.

"Sherlock, how are supposed to get around a park in broad daylight without any humans seeing us?" protested Elizabeth.

"Ah, fear not, my dear Elizabeth," Sherlock said, popping back out of the grate. "For I am not just a master of deduction - I am also a master of disguise." He waved his hand in his face to symbolize he a mask, which Juliet frowned and crossed her shoulders, while Elizabeth looked quite impressed.

He almost sneezed again, and the two women drew back so not to get sneezed on, but he didn't thankfully.

"Sorry," apologized Sherlock, sheepishly.

* * *

At the Royal Green Park, a maintenance worker drove a riding mower across the grass. He, none the wiser, passed by two strange-looking staggering squirrels, but these were no ordinary squirrels.

Inside squirrel number one, Sherlock was in the front of the costume, and Juliet was holding up the rear. Inside squirrel number two, Elizabeth was in the front, and little Violette held up the rear.

"Come on, let's go," ordered Sherlock, as soon as the mower drove by and he ordered the females to help him move and act like squirrels whenever he made a command. "Left... right... left... right... Now scurry. Stop! Oof!" Juliet bumped into him. "Careful!"

"How are you and Violette doing, Elizabeth?" Juliet asked, ignoring the detective.

"We're alright," replied Elizabeth.

"Miss Elizabeth, come to me," Sherlock ordered.

"What?" Elizabeth raised a baffled eyebrow, thinking he meant it in seduction.

"Just approach me. Move two feet forward... three feet forward... Hold..." instructed Sherlock, and Elizabeth had done as he told her to do, but Violette didn't seem to hear him and she bumped into Elizabeth, who turn bumped into the detective face first. "I said hold!" he hissed.

"Sorry!" Violette and Elizabeth apologized sheepishly in union.

"Uh, never mind, my dear," Sherlock immediately brushed it off like it was nothing, remembering he had to play coy to get on Elizabeth's good side. "Now wag your tails."

"What?" Juliet was confused.

"Go on, wag it!" Sherlock whispered urgently. "Quickly! Wag it!"

Sighing, Juliet shook the costume's bottom. "Ugh! Just when I thought you couldn't get more annoying."

"Why do squirrels have to wag their tails?" asked Violette, shaking her own squirrel costume's bottom.

"A real squirrel would greet another squirrel by wagging its tail," grumbled Sherlock. "But that is the least realistic tail wagging I've ever seen."

"Oh, forgive me. I've never been the back end of a squirrel before," said Juliet, sarcastically.

"You should have told me that before I took you on as my assistants," huffed Sherlock.

"I'm not your-" Juliet was about to retort but she got cut off.

"Are we really his assistants?" Violette asked, excitedly. "Solving cases must sound like fun!"

"No, sweetheart, we're just..." Elizabeth would have continued had Sherlock not interrupted.

"Shhh! We've been spotted!" he warned.

Several people in the park, either sitting on a bench, or a few joggers looked in their direction, thinking something might be wrong with the squirrels.

"Oh no! We have to get out of here! Violette, run!" Elizabeth gasped, attempting to make a run for it but Violette stumbled upon a twig.

"No, wait!" Sherlock tried to stop them, but it was too late.

Violette collided into Elizabeth, causing her to collide right on top of Sherlock and Juliet's squirrel costume. Elizabeth felt Sherlock's body beneath the fabric and clutched to him from behind. Sherlock could barely talk feeling the girl's arms around his neck and her figure on his back.

"Violette!" Juliet scolded, after she felt her child bump into her dress from behind.

"Not my fault Elizabeth freaked out!" the little girl retorted.

"Will you get off me?!" An irked Sherlock demanded in a choked voice, shaking his upper body to try and force her off. Although he couldn't help noticing how nice Elizabeth smelled. He inhaled her scene, wondering what kind of soap or shampoo she used to bathe herself. But he shook those thoughts out of his head and had to concentrate on removing her from his grasp.

However, as a result of Sherlock's movements, this little stunt fooled the humans into believing the two squirrels were mating in the middle of the park.

"Oh my!" The human father of a toddler covered the child's eyes.

The joggers giggled and resumed their jogging.

At last, Elizabeth climbed off Sherlock's back and the detective gave her a stern lecture, "You do not, and I repeat, do not run off until I say we're in real danger. Your actions almost blew our cover! You will do what I say and never do anything like that again. Is that clear?"

"Crystal." Elizabeth nodded, hanging her in shame.

"Shhh!" Sherlock put a hand up to silence her. "Do you hear that?"

Sherlock concentrated his superb hearing on the sounds he heard, his ear sticking out from the squirrel's eyehole. As birds sang and children laughed and dogs barked around them, Sherlock scanned the plane trees until a particular sound caught his ear.

"That's not a bird. That's the call of the Peruvian Snapping Turtle. Hmm, where is it?" Sherlock found an iPhone perched on a branch. "Aha! The Peruvian Snapping Turtle is famous for burying its eggs. He must have buried the clue." Beneath the device was a spot of dirt buried out of the earth where the clue used to be. "Oh. It's been dug up by..." He scanned the area for the culprit, until his eyes landed on a familiar creature, one that Sherlock hoped he'd never encounter again. "Oh. Don't move," he whispered worriedly, as he got down on his knees to avoid being seen, even though the creature was asleep.

"What's wrong?" asked Elizabeth.

Juliet peeked out from over Sherlock and through the squirrel's eyeholes. All she saw was a dog, a pug, snoring nearby. "It's just a dog," he said, exasperated.

"What is a dog?" Violette was puzzled.

Sherlock didn't answer her. He looked quite wary of this dog. "That is no mere dog. That, my dears, is the Hound owned by the Baskervilles. And in this very park, that very hound bit me."

"And I'm siding with the dog here," said Juliet.

Sherlock and Juliet gestured Elizabeth and Violette to wait for them while they carefully crept toward the sleeping dog. A toy boy under its paws had the M card wrapped around it.

"First Chinatown, and now this fleabag. This is no coincidence," whispered Sherlock. "Careful, the clue is stuck to his squeaky toy."

Juliet carefully reached out from under the squirrel costume.

"Easy does it... gently..." Sherlock whispered, lifting the pug's ear up so Juliet could do her job.

Working as gently as she could, Juliet successfully managed to pry the bone out from the dog's paws.

"Got it! Quietly now," Sherlock said as the two tiptoed back to their friends. "And whatever you do, don't-"

Not paying attention to him, Juliet accidently bumped into Sherlock and the bone, causing a loud squeak from the toy bone.

"Oh no," groaned Sherlock.

Because of this, the dog woke up and started growling fiercely at the thieves who stole his bone.

"Now can we run?" asked Elizabeth.

"Yes," replied Sherlock, meekly.

And, boy, did they run for their lives.

"Good doggy! Good doggy! cried Sherlock, as he and the others raced across the park.

The dog tried catch up to them, but the leash that was chained to his collar held him back. Sherlock and Juliet had tripped during their racing, but quickly got back on their feet and Juliet ushered Violette and Elizabeth to keep going when they glanced back worriedly at them.

Struggling to free himself, the dog pulled and pulled until his leash broke free from the park bench and began his pursuit. Spotting the mower nearby, Elizabeth realized this machine could help them escape. She ushered Violette to run to it, before glancing behind her and called out, "Over here!"

"This way!" Sherlock pointed in a different direction, not hearing Elizabeth's calls.

"No, this way!" Juliet told him, hearing Elizabeth's calls.

The dog slipped across the grass while Sherlock was forced to walk backwards as Juliet rushed them toward the mower where the others waited. A gang of real squirrels watched the scene unfold, one of them eating a nut as if it were popcorn.

When the two gnomes reached the mower, Elizabeth and Violette pulled them up, and Juliet shouted, "Now hold on tight, everyone!" Pushing down the lever, Juliet started up the engine and the mower took off in a flash.

"Whoa!" cried Sherlock, feeling the mower rush at a sudden pace.

The dog was nearly upon them, so Juliet took the steering wheel and dodged a tree. It didn't slow down the dog. Juliet pressed down on another lever and shards of grass rained down on the poor dog to slow him down.

The squirrels continued watching in interest from a distance.

Just then, the mower hit a fallen tree branch and Sherlock fell off. Luckily, since he and Juliet were still in their squirrel costume, he didn't fall off completely. He just dangled at the bottom of the running mower, and right in front of the pursuing dog.

The dog caught hold of Sherlock's foot and began pulling at him. Juliet and Elizabeth held on tightly to the costume, locked in a tug-of-war with the dog. Violette saw this as her chance to steer the wheel and decided to try steering to the edge of the park as means of an escape. But the thing is, she had no idea how to drive and she could only steer clumsily.

"Let go!" Sherlock shouted, hitting the toy bone on the dog's head in order to make him let go of his foot. "Who's a good doggy?!"

"Just grab the clue and give him back the bone!" shouted Elizabeth.

Quickly, Sherlock pulled the card off the toy bone. "I got it! Uh oh!" But then he let go of the bone and as he did so, the dog ceased his pursuit and tumbled over, the bone still in his mouth. Sherlock landed right beside Elizabeth and Juliet on the mower seat, while Violette steered the wheel.

"Ah, there. That wasn't so..." Sherlock was about to sigh in relief, until things got worse for them. "BAAAAAD!"

Violette accidently steered the mower right toward a stacked pile of chairs and, while everyone was screaming, the mower soared through the air and crashed into a tree that stood in front of the chairs. The three squirrels were stunned by the crash, and one of them dropped a nut in the process.

A huge crowd of people came around to snap pictures of the mower wedged in the tree. The dog, on the other hand, continued to chew on his squeaky toy bone happily.

Behind a huge trash bin and some laurel bushes, the group of three gnomes and one doll wriggled out of their squirrel costumes and discarded them. They had jumped clear from the crash before anyone could notice them.

"Is everyone okay?" Elizabeth asked, hoping no one was seriously hurt.

"We're alright," assured Juliet.

"I'm okay here!" chirped Violette.

"I'm in pieces," said Sherlock. "Well, that was an unconventional bit of parking. Ladies, I should tell you something."

"What?" asked Juliet, Violette and Elizabeth all in union.

"For future reference, that is not how a squirrel shakes its behind. This is." Sherlock shook his bottom in front of the girls, causing Juliet to look away and Elizabeth tried to shield Violette' eyes, but the little girl giggled at the detective's actions. "Do you see what I'm doing? Do you see? Do you see?"

"Yes, you're acting like a rear end," sighed Juliet.

"Please, could you not do that in front of a child," chided Elizabeth.

"Can we check out the clue?" Juliet demanded.

Rolling his eyes, Sherlock held up the M card. He flipped it over and found a button taped to the other side. The second he saw that button, Sherlock gasped and he turned pale. "Of course this would be next. Moriarty, you monster," he muttered. "Forcing me to face my greatest fear."

"A button. Really?" Juliet snorted.

"Why is he afraid of a button?" asked Violette, curiously.

"I have no idea," replied Juliet.

"I was talking to Elizabeth," Violette reproached, frowning.

Juliet sighed, her daughter was still angry with her over Gnomeo's abduction. She thought her daughter had gotten over it, but clearly she has not.

"It means someone whom Sherlock knew in the past wore this button," explained Elizabeth. "But I wonder who?"

"Very well. If he wants to dance, then dance we shall!" Sherlock said, as he made a dramatic pose.

Shaking her head, Juliet stormed out of the park, with Elizabeth and Violette in tow. Sherlock noticed their leaving and, sighing, he followed after them.


	8. Doll Museums & Subway Trains part 1

**_Violette's POV_**

It seemed like forever after sneaking a ride on a van to reach our destination, but I was sure glad it was over. As soon as we hopped off, we hid behind a trashcan and waited for the van to drive off.

While waiting, I noticed a sign reading about an underground subway station. What is a subway station? And why is underground? The distance sound of a horn thundered beneath the ground interrupting my thoughts.

"What is that place? And what was that noise?" I asked curiously.

"That is the underground subway station," Sherlock explained. "It is an underground railway that transports people to their destinations. Humans use it to travel around London if their cars can't handle the traffic. Now, would you like to see Big Ben...?"

My face lit up at this question. Oh yes, I would love to see the enormous clock tower of London that is so popular in the city. I was about to answer until he rudely cut me off.

"Or can we get on with our investigation?"

I scowled at him, biting back an angry reply I wanted to throw at him.

"Violette, this isn't the time for touring the city," Elizabeth told me. "We have to get to... uh, where are we going, Sherlock?"

"There it is!" Sherlock whispered, gesturing to the building that lay before us right after the van drove away.

DOYLE'S DOLL MUSEUM

"The Doll Museum?" My mother Juliet questioned.

"The Doll Museum. I must confront the _second_ most terrifying ornament in all of London," said the detective.

Motioning for us to follow him, Sherlock lead us around to a tiny door at the back of the museum. He rapped the door lightly and a miniature eye slot opened.

"You sure you want to come in?" asked a strange eerie voice.

"Gregson, I need to speak to your boss," said Sherlock.

The door opened, revealing a giant teddy bear holding a smirking smaller teddy bear, whom I learned his name is Teddy Gregson.

As we passed them, I heard Gregson chuckle, "Your funeral."

Sherlock swallowed nervously as we all entered the building. I felt Mommy trying to hold my hand, but I drew back and held Elizabeth's hand instead. I can't help it if I'm still angry with my mother. I don't want to be anywhere near her until after we rescue Daddy and all of the gnomes.

I gasped at the sight before me. Dozens of empty display cases surrounded us and a large stage stood before us. A makeshift arena in the middle of the room had hundreds of different dolls piled closely together, cheering on an enormous gorilla who beat his chest.

"Yikes! Is that the boss?" asked Mommy, looking frightened.

"No, not him." Sherlock shook his head.

A giant robot stepped forward, waving his enormous steel arms.

"Is that him?" Elizabeth asked.

"Not him," said Sherlock.

As we moved closer to the center of the arena, I realized it was a table set up for arm wrestling. The gorilla and the robot appeared to be getting to arm wrestle each other, until the robot moved back to reveal who the gorilla was really arm wrestling with.

It was the most beautiful doll I had ever seen, well second beautiful when you count Elizabeth. She had olive skin and magenta curly hair, long eyelashes and light green eyes, and she wore an elegant dark blue gown that was based on the Victorian Times.

"Her," said Sherlock, gesturing to the lovely doll I just described.

"Who is she?" I asked.

"Irene," Sherlock uttered her name, apparently trembling.

Irene heard the sound of his voice and laid eyes on the detective, giving him a thin smile which told us it wasn't friendly. "Sherlock Gnomes," she purred, breaking the gorilla's arm off and tossing it away.

I felt sorry for the wailing gorilla, but when I glanced up at Sherlock I noticed how his smile weakened.

After the gorilla left, Irene brushed past us as she spoke, "You've got a lot of nerve showing your face around here."

"Hello Irene," Sherlock greeted mildly. "You're looking well."

"A letter. You ended our engagement in a letter," Irene snapped elegantly.

"You two were engaged?" My mother gasped in disbelief.

"That might be a mild overstatement," mumbled Sherlock.

"What's engaged?" I asked.

"It means get married," Elizabeth explained to me.

Holy cow! That would explain why Sherlock was behaving awkwardly around Irene and why she was behaving coldly toward him.

"And now, after months of silence, you show up with this cheap porcelain thing - or is it this delicate little maid?" Irene hissed, frowning at my mother and then at Elizabeth.

Wait a minute! Is she saying my mother is engaged to Sherlock, or is it Elizabeth engaged to Sherlock? Yuck, my mom already has my dad! But for Elizabeth, I did catch a glimpse of her reaction to her first meeting the detective. She was blushing and couldn't stop staring at him. Could it be...?

"I beg your pardon?" Mommy scowled.

"Oh no, we're not dating!" protested Elizabeth, her blushing gave her away.

"No, no. They're just my assistants," Sherlock tried to explain.

"Oh, I am _not_ your assistant!" retorted Mommy.

"Sherlock is not daddy!" I shouted, ignoring the adults shushing me.

Irene's head snapped back, turning her gaze down upon me. I felt my feet freeze and voice cease at those icy green eyes glaring down upon me. "And you brought a kid in here with you?" she questioned incredulously.

"She's just here with her mother because of a case Sherlock is helping us with," Elizabeth explained nervously.

"Well, I see it yet I don't believe it!" Irene's eyes grew wide in what I took to be mild surprise. "Princess Molly."

I froze, and my mother and Sherlock stared blankly at Elizabeth. "Molly?" we said in baffled union.

"Miss Elizabeth is not a princess, she's a nanny hired to take care of Miss Juliet's daughter," Sherlock replied.

Irene smirked slowly. "Better get your stories straight, or perhaps _her_ story." She raised her eyebrow at Elizabeth, who winced at her words. "I know every doll collection in London, and I recognize that face of hers from the Royal Family of Avalon collection, despite the new hairdo and dress."

Royal Family of Avalon? I don't understand. I looked over at Elizabeth, who hung her head as if knowing what would happen next. Demanding the truth out of her.

"Elizabeth...?" Mommy began, trying not to believe what she was hearing.

"I... I..." Elizabeth stuttered.

"We'll discuss this later!" Sherlock firmly shut her down, and by the look on his face I could tell he was not happy. He turned back to his ex-girlfriend. "Irene, please. This is important. This is one of yours, isn't it?" He held up the button we found on the card at the park earlier.

"I don't know, Sherlock," Irene drawled. "There's an awful lot of buttons in this city."

"Irene, please. Just hand over the clue," Sherlock pleaded.

"Of course, you're only here on work. But your case can wait. It's showtime!" Irene dryly headed for the stage and wrapped a cloak around her figure. "See if you can deduce who this song is about?"

Music started to play as she walked up the stage, and then Irene threw the cloak away to reveal a female wrestler's costume, having mysteriously peeled away her fancy dress. Her magenta hair changed to short blonde hair and red boxing gloves in her hands. The crowd started whooping and cheering for her. I didn't know how she changed her dress like that, it must be some kind of magician's trick.

As she started to sing, Irene made punching gestures with her gloves, as if she were punching Sherlock in the face, and he winced as if knowing she intended to hit him. I didn't catch the lyrics, but although I did get the impression that Irene was telling Sherlock that she didn't need a man in her life and she was much better off without the wretched detective.

But I didn't seem to care about how her lyrics stung Sherlock from the inside, because I was so enchanted by her singing and dancing, I immediately felt the rhythm of the beat enter my body. I tried to imitate her movements, even though I exaggerated, but I came up with my own dance moves. I did the cha-cha slide and jumped a little twirl in the air.

Irene withdrew the clue we needed from her boxing glove, but she didn't hand it over to Sherlock cause she grabbed the handle of a balloon's basket. I gazed up at her in awed amazement, still swaying my body to her song. It was as if she could fly and I wish I could do that too. All of the toys around us were dancing in their own private circles, and I failed to realized I separated from the adults by dancing with the other toys.

The toys stared down at me like I invaded their privacy at first, but when I displayed the worm, the running man and the windmill, the toys began to applaud for me. I guess they never saw any other gnome or toy do something like this before, that's because Uncle Benny and Daddy had been teaching me how to dance like this.

The second I started doing Michael Jackson's Thriller, I had no idea that Sherlock, Elizabeth and my mother had been picked up and carried off. I should've paid attention, but I was too absorbed in dancing to care. On the last beat of the song, the spotlight landed on me and I froze when I felt strange eyes on me.

The large teddy bear, still carrying Gregson on his arm, shot the most terrifying glare down at me. I felt my body trembled and looked around for my mother and the others, but there was no sign of them. At first I thought he was going to reach down and grab me, but I heard Irene beat him to the punch.

"Leave her."

I whirled around and I could see Irene approach me, one hand on her hip and the other hiding the card in her pocket. I didn't know what she was going to do with me. I was terrified. However, Irene held no icy irritation in her eyes.

"Where did you learn how to dance like that, kid?" she asked.

"My Daddy and Uncle Benny taught me," I replied meekly, still afraid of her. "And if you're gonna ask, my Daddy is not Sherlock! He gets on my nerves and he's quite bossy, just like my Mommy. My Daddy is Gnomeo and..."

Irene held up a hand to silence me. The singer wasn't angry with me, she was actually impressed by my dancing skills and she didn't seem to mind my presence either. "How about we talk about this over tea, while Gregson gets your mother," she said, nodding her head at the two bears.

"Okay." I nodded.

Gregson and the giant bear left to go find my mother.

With a clap of her hands, Irene ordered the dolls to create a fancy dining room on the stage for both her and me. Irene told me to wait a minute while she got changed. I sat upon a stool and watched as the table was set for tea and plastic cakes.

A little later, Irene returned having changed her hair to a brown color that matched her skin and wore a pink stylish dress that went flawlessly with a lacy wide-brimmed hat that could have been based on the Victorian Times. She took her seat in front of me.

"Would you like some tea?" she asked.

"Yes, please." I nodded, holding my cup out and a doll poured imaginary tea in my cup. "You know, I've never really had a tea party before."

"Not even with your parents?"

"No. All my mother cares about is the garden, and she said so herself. My father... he's been kidnapped by a gargoyle that's working for..."

"Moriarty," finished Irene.

"How did you know that?"

"His infamous rivalry against Sherlock is known in the ornamental world."

"Oh." I sensed by the cold tone in her voice that she didn't want to talk about Sherlock, so I decided to change the subject. "I really liked your performance, Miss Irene. Especially that part when you were riding the balloon." And I truly meant it.

I got an amused chuckle and a grin out of Irene. "Thanks, you weren't too bad yourself," she complimented me and I returned the grin.

"Excuse me, Miss Adler, but the little girl's mother is here," said one of the teddies.

I frowned in disappointment. I was just starting to enjoy my time with Irene. I saw my mother hurry up the staircase, anxiously concerned.

"Oh hello," greeted Irene, though she stared icily at her. "Here I thought garden gnomes were all overweight and bearded, but you're actually... cute. Hardly any facial hair at all," she purred. "Though your daughter's more of a cutie."

I blushed at her words.

My mother shook her head and then turned to me, "Violette, are you alright?" she asked in concern.

"I'm fine, Mommy!" I told her in a perky manner. "Miss Irene was just telling me that she liked my dancing."

"That's nice." My mother didn't seem concerned about it. "Could you wait by the exit, dear. I need to have a word with Irene."

"Okay." I shrugged my shoulders in annoyance. As I left the table and headed off stage, I looked back and waved, "Goodbye, Miss Irene!"

Irene waved goodbye back to me, and I was out of earshot of the conversation between my mother, Juliet, and Irene. Gregson and the giant bear was about to kindly escort me to the exit when I heard my mother cry out, "ENOUGH!"

We all turned our attention to the stage, shocked by my mother's sudden shouting and that is when I heard those words.

"I don't care about Sherlock. He is the single most annoying gnome I've ever met. I wouldn't date Sherlock if he were the last gnome on Earth. I already have a partner, and he's nothing like Sherlock. Gnomeo is reckless and emotional and isn't obsessed with work. He loves my little girl as much as I do very much. And he doesn't treat me like an assistant. He treats me like I'm..." I saw her smile genuinely, "the toughest gnome in the garden. He believes in me. He loves me with all his heart. And if you asked him to choose between me and work or anything really... he'd choose me. Every time."

Did I hear right or did my mother just saw she loves me as much as my father does? I thought for sure she never did because I still remember those harsh words she said to me and to Daddy and Elizabeth yesterday.

 _The garden can't wait. And you three can._

Thinking about it made my heart ache. However, her words of saying 'He loves my little girl as much I do very much.' I didn't know what to believe now.

Afterwards, I overheard Irene speak, "A man doesn't make you strong."

"You're right," Mommy agreed. "A man doesn't make you strong. But the right partner can make you _stronger_. And I let mine down, especially my own daughter, and I need to make this right."

Irene stared at my mother with grudging respect and she was impressed by my mother's strength and words as much I was, although it was brief.

"All right. I'll give you what you want, but only on two conditions," Irene said. "First, you tell Sherlock this had absolutely nothing to do with him."

Mother nodded. "And the second?"

"After you save the day, you come back here and tell me about it. And bring your daughter along, she's a good kid," Irene added, giving the card to my mother.

"You've got yourself a day," said Mommy, taking the card and agreeing to Irene's conditions.

The door opened and as the two bears gentlemanly escorted me out, I gasped when I was met by an unexpected sight:

Elizabeth and Sherlock were engaged in what appeared to be a hug, or was it called an embrace!


	9. Doll Museums & Subway Trains part 2

**_Elizabeth's POV_**

I had tried to reach for or call out to Violette the second I felt myself lifted off the ground, carried away from the dance party, tossed outside along with Sherlock and Juliet, and the door slammed behind us.

"Well, that was rather unpleasant," Sherlock said, as he brushed off his coat and I helped Juliet to her feet. "Irene must have the clue, because she was expecting me. She couldn't possibly have improvised such an elaborate song. She will need at least forty-two minutes to cool down."

"Forty-two minutes?" I gasped, checking the sun and realized it would be sunset soon. "We don't have the time!" It was then I remembered the little gnome girl who had been left behind inside the doll museum. "Oh my gosh! Violette! She's still inside!"

"WHAT?!" Juliet cried, fearing for her child.

"I do hope Irene has a heart not to harm a child," added Sherlock, and for the first time I witnessed great concern flicker within his eyes, perhaps this is probably not the first time a gnome child was in danger.

With a determined frown, Juliet marched right up to the door and started banging on it. "Listen up, doll! You've got something I need, and someone I need, and I'm not leaving here without them! If you don't open up right now, I'm going to break your door down and rip your doll limbs apart if you harm my daughter!"

Sherlock gasped, half-frightened at her actions. "Are you insane? You can't provoke Irene like that! There's no telling what she'll-Oh!"

The miniature eye slot slid open, and seconds later, the door opened and the two teddy bears stood before Juliet. At first I thought one of them was either going to tell her off or physically harm her. Thankfully, none of them did such a thing.

"You can come in," Gregson told her.

As Juliet entered, Sherlock and I wanted to follow but the big teddy bear put a paw out and stopped us.

"You can't," Gregson said to us.

Sherlock opened his mouth to make some retort, but I elbowed him in the side to warn him not to say anything that would get us into trouble. The door slammed shut on us.

"I guess we'll have to wait for them," I said, shrugging. My thoughts shifted back to Violette, silently praying she will not be harmed. "I hope Violette will be okay."

"Don't fret. Irene is compassionate towards children, though mostly toys, but never a garden gnome," Sherlock said, before he cleared his throat and focused on me. "Now... I think it's time you tell me the truth."

"The truth?" I panicked, feeling my heart beat racing as my mind conjured up whatever excuse I could give him, but there was none.

"Yes, the truth. And if you try to think of any kind of lame excuse to shield yourself, then it will prove that you are completely suspicious and cannot be trusted," he added, slyly.

It's like this guy can read my mind like a psychic.

"Alright, Miss Elizabeth, if that's your real name, what was Irene saying about you being Princess Molly?" Sherlock's infamous irritating face leaned in closer toward me.

I sighed in defeat. There was no getting out of it. I could tell him half of the truth, because the rest of it is unbearable to listen.

"Okay. I think it's time to tell you the truth…" I took a deep breath before I began my story. "I was actually a princess in a doll set called the Royal Family of Avalon, made just for kids. I lived in the house where Gnomeo, Juliet, and their family moved in. My parents were King Rupert and Queen Anna, and my brothers were Princes Hooper and Hardy. Our owner was an old man, Professor Waxflatter, who collected rare dolls. I was different from my family. Being a princess, everybody believed that when I whistle, birds appear, and I could be helpless and call my 'Prince Charming' for help. They're so stereotyped!" My voice raised on a high level, not realizing I was shouting. "Those things are not true! I am nothing like those princesses you hear in those fairytale stories or in those movies! Those are myths!" I immediately calmed down. "Sorry. I didn't mean to snap. I was totally rebellious, my family doesn't approve of what I wanted to be."

Sherlock was lost in deep thought, his mind palace must be telling him something odd because he kept his gaze fixed upon me, not in a suspicious glance but in a rather odd sympathy. "Hmm, it's clear to me that it seems you hated your life."

"Not really, I just want everybody to treat me as a normal person, not like royalty," I replied. "That's why I changed my name and I don't want everybody to know about my past. But now that my secret is out, I guess everyone will treat me as royalty all over again."

"That won't be necessary," he continued, this time he spoke softly. "I believe you have proved to be more than just a so-called princess during your time in my case. Your assistance aided us in our escape from that dreadful Hound from the Baskervilles."

Those sudden kind words eased my emotions. I felt myself blush and slightly whimpered in embarrassment at blushing in front of him.

Sherlock noticed this and he chuckled amusingly. "Did I upset you, Miss Elizabeth, or do you still prefer your old name?"

"Oh, no! No, no! I, uh..." I was stuttering like an idiot. "I'm sorry, it's just that... I still want to be called Elizabeth."

"It's quite alright." The detective nodded, before he took my hands into his own.

This gesture, he had done it before at the art gallery earlier this morning, it seemed friendly but it tended to appear something more. Or maybe I was just imagining things. His larger hands felt warmer around mine. I glanced up at him, and I felt my breath caught in my throat. Sherlock's hypnotic eyes gazed deeply into my own. Without realizing it, he pulled me toward him. He placed his chin on my head and his rested his hands on my back.

I don't know if I was dreaming or was this real. Sherlock Gnomes is actually hugging me. The warmth of his embrace felt welcoming and calming at the same time. I felt him bringing me closer to his chest. Even though Sherlock behaved like a rear end, I had seen him display a few moments of emotions, like the time when Watson... and now here with me... For the first time in my life, I felt at peace, and with him of all ornaments. I nuzzled my face in his chest and listened to his heart beating.

All of a sudden, the sound of the door opening brought us back to reality. Our heads snapped up in the direction of the door.

There stood little Violette and the two teddy bears, speechless.

And why wouldn't they be, after having caught us hugging and if you asked them, they believed we looked pretty comfortable in each other's embrace.

"Whaaaaat?" Gregson's jaw dropped open.

Sherlock and I glimpsed at each other, embarrassed at being caught in an awkward situation. We hurriedly scrambled apart.

"So, uh, what have you been up to, Miss Violette?" questioned Sherlock, trying to act serious when his ridiculous flustered voice gave him away.

"Uhhh… having tea with Irene," the little girl explained, flabbergasted by what she witnessed.

"Tea?" Sherlock and I said in union, glancing at each other in disbelief.

At that moment, Juliet was courteously escorted out of the building, unaware of what occurred until she noticed our flustered expressions.

"Is everything alright out here?" she asked.

"Uh, yes. Everything is fine," I answered, and I gave Violette a look to warn her not to say anything to her mother about what she saw.

"So... Molly, huh?" Juliet put her hands on her hips and frowned at me.

I can't blame her for feeling disappointed in me for lying to her about my name. But I had my reasons. Luckily, Sherlock spoke up for me.

"Her family had a strict tradition of her behaving like a real princess as a result of being part of a royal family of dolls," he said. "Miss Elizabeth rebelled against their ways, and afterwards the fire started and her entire family is lost, including her owner, a Professor Waxflatter."

Learning of this revelation, Juliet's hard expression turned soft and she looked at me sympathetically. "I guess I'm not the only one who rebels against people who expect me to be treated with delicacy," she chuckled, and I immediately felt much better.

Sherlock caught sight of the card in Juliet's hand, completely in shock and I tried to hide a giggle. "Irene gave you the clue?" he asked in disbelief.

"Well, maybe she would have given it to you if you hadn't treated her so horribly," Juliet responded huffily.

"I didn't treat Irene horribly," Sherlock said dismissively like he had done nothing wrong. "I treated her the same way I treat everyone."

"And you treat _everyone_ horribly!" Juliet informed him coldly, and she does have a point.

Rolling his eyes, Sherlock stuck his hand out. "Can you please just give me the clue?" And the old arrogant detective is back.

"Oh yeah, you're a regular Prince Charming," Juliet scoffed sarcastically, and handed the card to the detective.

The card had that infamous M on it and on the other side there was a scribbled writing on the back. Sherlock examined it, then suddenly left to go climb up the ladder to a rooftop where we all struggled to keep up with him. I wonder what he could be thinking about that would make him do this.

"Where are they leading us?" Sherlock muttered, already gone into his mind palace to analyze the clues. Suddenly he brought his head up sharply. "Traitor's Gate! The old water gate entrance to the Tower of London." He pointed to an old castle-like building in the distance. "That is where Watson and I solved our very first case. We're supposed to be there at precisely 8:43 p.m."

"But it's miles away!" Violette complained. "It will take us hours to get there!"

"There has to be a way we can get there in time," I said.

"There is!" replied Sherlock. "But it's a complete and total last resort." He tipped his head toward the underground stairs.

We all heard the sound of a train rumbling underneath the road. That's when we all realized what he meant. Transportation to Traitor's Gate by the Tube.

"Let's go!" Juliet announced. "We've got a train to catch!"

In the Baker Street underground, which Sherlock amusingly said his garden home at the same name, we all slipped out of a heating duct and crouched behind a giant pillar. Making sure the humans were not paying attention to them, as they were all occupied by their iPhones, we hurried across the platform and slipped down beside the tracks, just as a loud sharp whistle blasted through the tunnel.

I grew alarmed at the thought of being run over, but because of our small size we managed to press ourselves against the wall. Juliet pressed herself against her child's small form to keep her safe if the train ever seriously hurt her. In that instant, an enormous train pulled into the station. I felt Sherlock's form pressed against my body, shielding me from the oncoming train. I was beginning to get used to this.

As soon as the train stopped and people began coming in or coming out of the train, Sherlock shouted, "Those bumpers - they're our only chance of surviving this ride. Go!"

We ran across the tracks and leaped onto the bumpers of the train (I helped in hoisting Violette up first). There was a ding, the train doors closed, and the train started off with a sudden jerk.

Our group hung on for dear life as the train rumbled down the tracks. As the train sped through the tunnel, a plastic bag got caught on Sherlock's hat. It started to pull him off the bumper by sheer force of the wind. He reached up to remove the bag, but as he did the train lurched.

Juliet flung herself over Violette to ensure her child didn't fall off. I kept my grasp on the bumper, but Sherlock didn't have much luck. Sherlock slipped, but he barely managed to grab on to the side of the bumper. He dangled helplessly, inches from the rapidly speeding tracks below his feet.

There was a sharp turn that loomed ahead. If no one did something by this second, Sherlock will be smashed to pieces. So gathering my strength, I swung myself onto the bumper he had fallen from. Just when it seemed Sherlock couldn't hold on any longer, I caught hold of his arm and with all of my might I yanked him back up, just as the train made its sharp turn.

Firmly gripping onto the bumper, I pried the bag off Sherlock's hat and threw it away. I glanced over my shoulder to see Juliet and Violette staring at me, amazed at my actions. Turning my attention back to the detective, I found a speechless Sherlock staring at me in complete and utter astonishment.

"You risked your life for me?" he asked.

"Yes," I breathed.

I didn't tell him this because I realized why I had done it. My feelings for Sherlock Gnomes had changed from irritation to affection. I realized I was still grasping his hand, but Sherlock's eyes were firmly shut. He must have gone to his mind palace, puzzled over my actions as if no one has ever done this for him before. Whatever he was thinking of, he looked grave and his face twitched a few times, and his grasp on my hand tightened.

"Are you alright?" I questioned in concern, hoping my voice was loud enough for him to hear. "Sherlock, say something!"

My voice snapped him out of his mind palace. Sherlock stared at me like he had seen a ghost and he withdrew his hand from mine, as if he was afraid. At first, I thought it was because of my actions to rescue him that appeared to have frightened him. But it wasn't like that at all, for as I turned to check up on Juliet and Violette I heard him holler these words.

"Thank you!" It was loud and clear enough for me to hear.

"Your welcome!" I hollered back, letting him understand that I appreciate his gratitude.


	10. Betrayal!

**_Narrator's POV_**

Exhausted and relieved, Sherlock, Elizabeth, Juliet and Violette hopped off the train, snuck past the humans at the station, and sprinted like lightning to Traitor's Gate. On the gate outside the building, they saw a digital clock ticking down the time. To their horror, the clock had struck zero on their account, meaning they had failed to save the gnomes on time.

"We're too late. Where are the gnomes?" Juliet asked worriedly, as the group passed through the gate to enter the building.

"Show yourself, Moriarty!" Sherlock demanded.

As if on cue, a shadow approached the top of the staircase. Someone very familiar stepped out of the darkness and into the light. Someone with a bowler hat perched on top of a familiar figure. The figure was grinning smugly. To everyone's surprise, it was Dr. Watson.

"No, Sherlock. Not Moriarty," he announced.

"WATSON?!" Elizabeth, Juliet and Violette gasped in disbelief.

"But... that's impossible..." Sherlock gasped.

"Not impossible. Merely improbable." Watson took out the card with the M imprinted on front and turned it upside down to create a W. "It wasn't an M. It was a W, for Watson. But I knew you'd miss that. Because it had to do with me. This was my game." As he spoke, Ronnie and Reggie, the two gargoyles appeared to stand beside Watson.

"But we saw you fall! We saw you get smashed!" Violette shuddered, horrified by this gnome's betrayal.

"No. You heard me get smashed," Watson explained, using his cane to grapple up at the ceiling above before he landed perfectly back on the ground. "I caught myself before I landed. As for the sound you heard..." he swung his cane like a golf club, "just a flowerpot."

"What have you done with the gnomes? What have you done with Gnomeo?" Juliet demanded angrily.

"They're all fine. They're right behind that door," Watson calmly assured her, gesturing to the door behind him. "Miss Juliet, I am sorry I had to involve your garden. But this was the only way to get through to Sherlock."

"You did all this? But why?" questioned Sherlock, his voice cracking for the first time in his life.

"Because we used to be a team," Watson explained bitterly. "Sherlock and Watson, friends, partners in crime-solving. But over time, you stopped respecting me." As Watson told him off, Sherlock stood frozen, hardly daring to breathe. "The only ornament you respected was Moriarty. There was only one way I could prove myself to you. I had to pretend to be Moriarty. I orchestrated this game. I challenged you to a battle of wits."

"And you won. You beat me," Sherlock admitted.

Watson smiled, giving his former-partner a bow. "That's all I wanted to hear. And now, you and I are finished. Maybe you'll treat your next partner a little better," he finished, denouncing their partnership.

"Yeah, when you two have quite finished, can we please free the gnomes now?" Juliet interrupted, cutting off the drama and came up the stairs.

"Of course, with my apologies," Watson said in understanding, leading Juliet to the back door. "Since my friends live here at Traitor's Gate, this was the best place to ensure the gnomes would be safe. I designed the room to be as pleasant as possible. They've even got a mini-golf."

Walking up the staircase and listening to Watson chatting to Juliet, Sherlock noticed the two gargoyles eyeing them maliciously, and then grin at each other. Something strange was going on. As the detective focused on the gargoyles, he felt someone roughly shove him aside as they rushed up the staircase. Violette was desperately eager to see her father and the rest of her family, but it was not her who pushed him.

It was Elizabeth, who snapped her head back to glance at him. Her scowl had the most seething expression he hadn't ever seen in his life.

"Elizabeth, I..." Sherlock wanted to explain to her about Watson's reasons for his actions, but he got shut down by her instead.

"And I risked my life to save you!" Elizabeth spat venomously, ashamed that she could fall for such an incompetence who was true reason for Watson's betrayal. "None of this would've happened if you had treated Watson fairly!"

She raced up the staircase to catch up with the others, ignoring the devastated shock on the detective's face.

Up ahead, the door was unlocked and opened. Juliet and Violette rushed inside, and found themselves in a well-lit and nicely decorated room. Sherlock, Elizabeth and Watson were not far behind.

"Gnomeo! Dad! Nanette!" Juliet cried, but there was no answer.

"Daddy! Uncle Benny!" Violette shouted, but she got no response either.

The room was completely empty.

"Where are they?" Juliet asked Watson, looking confused.

Two winged shadows appeared from the darkness. The group looked back in horror as the gargoyles menacingly approached them.

"Not here. Never were," sneered Ronnie, while Reggie laughed wickedly.

"What do you mean? What's going on?" Watson demanded, baffled in surprise.

Ronnie scooped up Juliet and Watson firmly in his claws. Violette had been swiped by Reggie and dangled helplessly in his grasp. Sherlock placed an arm in Elizabeth's path, trying to protect her from the gargoyles.

"Why don't you enlighten our small friend," said Reggie.

"Here's the thing, mate." Ronnie glowered evilly in Watson's small face. "We don't actually work for you," he admitted.

"What are you talking about? Get off me!" objected Watson, pushing the gargoyle out of his face, shocked by their betrayal.

"Put them down!" Elizabeth ordered, furiously throwing two abandoned paint brushes in their faces.

The gargoyles glared down upon her, and then Ronnie's eyes widened in slight surprise. "Oye! Is she the princess the boss wanted?" he asked. "She doesn't look like a princess."

"Yeah, she's the one!" Reggie confirmed, nodding. "And she is a princess."

"Oh goody! I do looove princesses!" Ronnie snickered, picking up Elizabeth as she squealed at the sudden tight grasp around her tiny body and trembled in horror at being pulled close to his face.

"Sherlock, do something!" Juliet yelled, desperately.

Sherlock glared furiously at Ronnie, who held Elizabeth captive, and rushed forward to kick the gargoyle in the chin, but the impact knocked him to the ground. Sniggering, Ronnie snatched up the detective in a sack and shoved the other three gnomes into the sack.

"No!" cried Elizabeth, as she was thrown into a separate sack.

"What a loser." Reggie mocked the detective's actions.

As Ronnie carried off Elizabeth, Reggie made his journey to a nearby dock where he carried the sack and dumped its occupants into a giant box.

"No, no! You can't do this!" Juliet protested but to no avail.

Reggie sealed the box tight to prevent the gnomes from trying to escape. Thus, began their unwanted adventure to an unknown destination as the box was hauled off by a crane and loaded onto a boat.

* * *

Inside the box, the room was all cramped yet everyone else was preoccupied; Juliet banged desperately on the side of the box, Sherlock sat on a pipe with his eyes firmly shut, a shaken Violette sat huddled up near the corner, and Watson stood sullenly affected by this unexpected betrayal from his so-called friends.

"What's happening? Where are they taking us?" Juliet questioned.

"Is this all part of your plan, Watson? To make Sherlock notice you as another smart guy?" Violette accused bitterly.

"I don't know what is going on!" Watson protested. "The gnomes, they were supposed to be there!"

"And why did they take Elizabeth away from us?" the little girl added.

"I wish I knew." Watson shook his head sadly.

"Sherlock." Juliet turned to the silent detective, hoping he might figure out a way to escape, but he didn't seem to hear her. "Sherlock!

"For goodness sake, will you please just say something?" Watson pleaded, aggravated.

"Limestone." Sherlock muttered.

"Huh?" Violette was puzzled.

"He meant say something useful," Juliet told him in frustration.

"I just did. The substance on my shoe, it's limestone," Sherlock pronounced, opening his eyes while he stood up to show them the white powder on his shoe. "The gargoyles lied. They are not from Traitor's Gate. So, if we can deduce where they're really from..."

"We'll find the gnomes," finished Juliet.

"That's why I kicked him," he explained. "To see quite literally what he was made of. The gargoyles also reeked of salt. Here, taste my shoe." Sherlock lifted his leg up so anyone could taste the limestone substance.

Unfortunately, nobody was interested in licking or tasting the stain from his foot.

"Ew!" Violette made a gross face, and Watson shook his head in disgust.

"No. Just keep going," urged Juliet.

"So the gargoyles must live close to water. Now, place your hands on this wall." Sherlock put his hands on the wall. "Do you feel that? That is the steady thrum of a marine propulsion engine, meaning..."

The other three gnomes placed their hands on the wall and they could also feel the box vibrating.

"We're on a ship," said Watson, figuring it out.

As if on cue, the deep blast of a ship's horn sounded.

"The HMS Nimrod, to be precise. We've just set sail, headed east, directly towards a structure which is both on the water and protected by limestone gargoyles. Tower Bridge! The gnomes must be hidden inside." Suddenly, Sherlock gasped as it finally hit him. "Oh, no. Now I understand why he put us on this ship."

"Wait. What? Who put us on this ship?" Watson asked, baffled.

At that moment, the four gnomes heard slow clapping coming from beneath their feet. They lifted the grate and climbed down as they followed the sound. It was hidden behind a red curtain. Sherlock pulled the curtain back, and everyone's eyes widened at what they were staring at.

"That's impossible," gasped Watson. "He was smashed. I saw it."

A phone and several others had been glued to the underside of the box, and smiling straight at them from the glare of the phone's lights was the sinister face of Moriarty.

"Surprise, Sherlock!" Moriarty cackled. "Sorry to not be in touch. I was pretending to be dead. Oh, also, I hate you."

"Moriarty, how awful to see you," Sherlock answered dryly and looking bored as if he were used to this kind of thing.

"So how have I been? I've been just peachy," Moriarty babbled. "Took up fishing. Gave up fishing. It's really boring. But I did plot your destruction with the help of my friends here." Reggie and Ronnie appeared on the screen, to wave mockingly at the gnomes. "Of course, they were actually working for me! I mean, I came up with the Sistine Chapel of evil plans. It's got a double-cross, it's got a triple-cross..." he gestured to himself and to Watson, "I was smashed, he was smashed. I mean, to be fair, it is needlessly complicated, but that's what supervillains do!"

"I know you like it when you think I don't understand," Watson said to Sherlock. "But this time, I really don't understand. What happened at the Natural History Museum?"

"Well, now, that's a funny story," Moriarty chuckled.

The screen had changed to a recording of the events that occurred at the museum. The bones of the dinosaur had come crashing down on Moriarty, but the wicked pie mascot had survived.

"You thought I was dead-ed. But I've always been a lucky pie, and that was my luckiest day ever," boasted Moriarty. "Not only did I not get squished, in that moment I saw how I could finally bring you down, Sherlock."

The mascot had shifted his phone through an opening in the pile of bones and caught a most disturbing sight.

Sherlock's eyes narrowed as he watched himself arrogantly drop Watson's cane in front of the gnome while he was followed by a parade of grateful gnomes, but none of them stopped to say thank you to Watson, even after he just saved their lives and he was deeply saddened and upset at being treated like nobody.

"I saw how you treated Watson," added Moriarty. "Poor old miserable Watson. He looked so sad. So I thought, I'll use that. I sent the gargoyles to you, Watson, and they let you think you were in charge. As if!"

Watson gaped at the screen in horror of the brutal truth. How could he have fallen for the gargoyles' deception so easily? How could he not see through their true nature? He felt like a complete and miserable fool.

"You know what your problem is, Watson? You're too nice, too trusting. Too... ugh." Moriarty stuck his tongue out. "Never trust a gargoyle or prunes past their sell-by date." The villainous mascot changed the screen again to show off, or rub it in Watson's face, at how he instructed the gargoyles to abduct gnomes from all over London by using his map, totally unaware that Moriarty had caught it on phone camera. "While you were playing supervillains, I saw your map. And then I could carry out the real plan, my plan! Capturing every single gnome in London."

 _Cheese and crackers! What have I done?_ Watson thought guiltily.

"SELFIE TIME!" Moriarty cheered, the image changing to a most horrifying sight to mock the four gnomes.

A giant M painted on a mountain of stairs behind the villainous mascot, but the worse part is that all of the missing gnomes, including Juliet and Violette's friends and family, had been glued to the giant M, all of them screaming or crying out for help.

"Oh no." Juliet gasped in horror.

"There's Grandma and Grandpa, and Uncle Benny and Auntie Nannette!" Violette pointed to a few familiar faces she recognized in the crowd, looking just as shocked as her mother is.

"Oh yes, little one!" sneered Moriarty. "They didn't have to be glued down in a giant M, but it's the little touches that make a plan really evil, you know?"

But as Juliet scanned the crowd of her loved ones, she realized that one particular gnome had not been imprisoned with the other gnomes. "He's not there," she whispered, secretly relieved that her husband, Gnomeo, was not there.

"You monster!" Violette screamed in a rage, reaching over in a blind attempt to destroy the screen, but Sherlock and Watson forcibly held her back.

"It will do you no good," Sherlock told her.

"Can you guess what happens next? Here, I'll show you." Moriarty briefly struggled to find the right buttons to show off the planned events of the gnomes' fate. "Screen share, screen share, how do I screen..."

On screen came a short animated demonstration of the fate of the gnomes. While the boat traveled under the Tower bridge, the bridge will rise up, but its incredibly heavy weights will crush every single gnome in London. Sherlock and Watson on the ship will cry miserably at the deaths of all of London's garden gnomes.

"This is where we stored the kidnapped gnomes on the bridge," Moriarty explained. "Then we brought them to this room here, for the main event. And when your warship arrives, the bridge will rise up and the 500-ton counterweight will fall, crushing the gnomes, making you the very instrument of their demise. Yes, you Sherlock, will be the unwitting executioner of every single gnome in London. So, how do I get out of screen share? How do I get out of..."

The screen flashed back to Moriarty's evil grin.

"Oh, aha! Oh, Sherlock, I can see all the cogs turning in there trying to work out how to stop me," he said, noticing Sherlock narrow his eyes at the villain while his three alleys looked on. "But it's too late. Your pretty boat is nearly here. The bridge will open smashing all the gnomes and what will you do, Sherlock, when all the gnomes are gone? I don't know, you tell me."

"Wait! What about Elizabeth?" Violette asked, looking up at her mother for a moment.

"That's right," Juliet's eyes widened in realization. "What have you done with Elizabeth?!" she demanded angrily.

"Elizabeth?" Moriarty raised a puzzled eyebrow, until he remembered who they mentioned. "Oh yes! You mean Princess Molly, or should I Miss Murderer?"

"Miss Who? What on earth is he talking about?" Watson said, glancing at Sherlock, who looked as baffled as he was.

The phone's camera shifted toward a bound and gagged Elizabeth. Reggie held the rope that dangled her over a window with one hand. Both her wrists were bound by his grip. The poor doll's eyes grew wide with fright.

Sherlock, Violette, Watson and Juliet fell silent. None of them said anything in fear for the doll's life.

Moriarty scanned their faces repeatedly. All of a sudden, when his cruel eyes landed upon Sherlock's expression, he felt something that made him feel more powerful and triumphant than he had ever felt before in his ornamental life. After all those long agonizing years of trying to destroy his opponent, Moriarty had never seen the gnome detective look so terrified. No life threatening situation had so much swayed Sherlock before when it comes to threatening other garden gnomes, since he always had a trick up his sleeve. Except now with this lovely doll's life was in his dreaded grasp, Sherlock was completely frightened.

A sadistic smirk spread across Moriarty's face. _Is that what I think it is? Ooooh, y_ _es!_ he thought. It was so obvious. The so called 'sworn protector of London's garden gnomes' had a weakness; Elizabeth. It never occurred to him that Sherlock had developed feelings for Elizabeth thanks to the reports the gargoyles had told him, but to see the look on the detective's face? A sadistic grin spread across his mouth.

"Moriarty... let her go!" A scorning Sherlock bravely tried to reason with him, his voice tense and careful. "It's not her you want, it's me."

Moriarty's smirk widened further, so he decided to play a trick on him as he snickered, "As you wish." He nodded at the gargoyle.

Reggie's grip on the girl loosened. Elizabeth slipped, and it seemed like the doll was about to fall and smash to pieces in a watery grave.

Juliet, Watson and Violette screamed, but no one screamed as loud as Sherlock did, "STOP!"

Moriarty threw his head back and cackled wickedly. "Oh my, you should have seen the look on your face, Sherlock! The anguish of loosing someone you care about. Ha! I should've gotten a picture of your reaction! But don't worry, I was only toying with the both of you."

Reggie had caught Elizabeth back in his large claws, and she fainted at her would-be death experience.

"But I won't blame you if you no longer have interest in her," added Moriarty. "After all, wiping out all of the gnomes is my game, and she's no better than I am when it comes to fires, families, blah, blah, blah." He laughed, glaring through the screen at his enemy. "That fire everyone's been talking about, it was SHE who caused it! Yes, that's right! It was poor old miserable Molly's fault. To make a long story short, she had a falling out with the family over acting like a real princess and how not important her feelings are to them. So then she 'accidently' started a fire and didn't do anything to save her wretched family from their fiery deaths, especially for poor old human owner, Professor Waxflatter."

"What?" Sherlock and Watson gasped in shocked union.

"Elizabeth...?" Juliet stared at her with disappointment.

Violette gawked at her ex-nanny in disbelief. She can't possibly commit such a crime, let alone set a house on fire and burn her human owner to death. There had to be some explanation.

"The truth hurts, don't it?" Moriarty mocked cruelly. "How do you think I found out? I've got my eyes and ears with me." He gestured to the gargoyles. "She and I have a lot in common, you know. And I thought, after I get rid of the London's gnomes, I'll settle down with Molly as my wife," his scowl darkened maliciously, "and when I get through with you, I'll give her your shattered remains as a wedding present!"

Moriarty climbed up on one of the gargoyles' back, the other carried Elizabeth in his grasp while she struggled desperately in failed attempt to free herself. The gargoyles crawled out a nearby window, total unaware of Gnomeo and the three goons hiding behind the ladder.

"So the game is not afoot, or a hand, or a leg. It's just over. And you lose. Byeeee!" Moriarty smirked maliciously, as he pressed a button to exit and leave a ridiculous screensaver for Sherlock and the gang to look at on every phone in the room.

It had been a moment of tense silence in the room, a lot of things raced through Sherlock's brain.

Those images formed once again in Sherlock's mind palace in that black and white monochromatic environment as versions of Sherlock and Elizabeth talking and what Sherlock hoped was the truth from her made him happy. He took her into his embrace, hugging her as he attempted to comfort her when she told him part of the truth, smiling out of her sight at the thought of how he had her wrapped around his finger and would eventually confide in him the last of the truth. But suddenly his gladness vanished to something else, something unfamiliar which frightened him at the memory of her risking her life to save his own. An image of his frozen heart thawed and melted. He realized he was truly falling for her, and he wasn't sure what to make of it, not having ended it well with Irene in the past. The detective bowed gracefully and gestured for a dance with Elizabeth, which she gladly accepted. But then Moriarty showed up, as a giant with a demonic-looking appearance, and laughing at them maniacally as he slapped Sherlock away. As he tried to fight off painful dizziness, he became shocked when the giant Moriarty smashed poor Elisabeth with his giant rolling pin, causing the British detective to scream in devastation, "NOOO!"

Until the real Elizabeth had spoken up, that was why he withdrew from her on the train ride. Sherlock shook his head to bring himself back to reality. He was a fool to let Moriarty discover his weakness. He shouldn't have let this happened. And he knew Watson was to blame, but someone else put the blame on him too.

"It's all Sherlock and Watson's fault! Our friends and family are in trouble, Mommy!" Violette shouted, tears stung in her eyes. "And because Sherlock had to be a jerk toward Watson and Watson had to team up with Moriarty, that makes them the Executioners of London's garden gnomes and NOT their protectors!"

"Violette, that's enough," Juliet scolded her daughter. "You don't know what you're talking about. They're trying to help our friends, even he has been foolish."

"They don't care about our friends and family, and neither do you, Mommy!" Violette yelled. "But I do, and I'm going to find them myself." She turned to run out of the room.

"Violette, stop!" Juliet grabbed hold of her daughter by the arm. "You're too young to be doing this on your own, you'll get hurt."

"Miss Violette, I've already failed Elizabeth's safety tonight. I will not fail yours," he said in a hard voice.

However, Violette yanked her arm away angrily as she screamed coldly at the three adults, "THE GNOMES CAN'T WAIT! YOU THREE _CAN!_ "

Sherlock, Watson and Juliet stared at the little girl, shocked and then hurt by her words and realized what she meant.

Juliet gasped, feeling her own heart breaking again, for this was the second time those words had been thrown at her. She once said them to her husband and daughter, but to hear it from Sherlock and Violette...she wanted to take it all back right here and right now.

Sherlock felt like an icy claw had grasped and choked him in the heart. He had said those words before toward Juliet and the others. To hear it from the little girl who blamed him for her friends and family's fates, this was an entirely different story. Watson hung his head, deeply hurt by the child's angry words.

Thinking she had taught them a lesson to shove those words back her mother and the two men, Violette turned and rounded a corner in attempt to find a way out of the box and rescue her friends and family.

It turned eerily silent in the room before Sherlock spoke again, this time asking his ex-partner disappointedly, "So, Watson, on a scale of one to ten, how well do you think is going?"

"I never meant for any gnome to get hurt, you know that!" Watson objected.

The two men glared at each other, ready to start an argument, but Juliet stepped in and pushed the two gnomes apart.

"Hey, knock it off, both of you!" she exclaimed. "Watson screwed up, but you did too."

"What did I do?" Sherlock asked incredulously.

So Juliet had to give that wretched detective a good scolding he needed to hear. "The same thing I did. We took our best friends or loved ones for granted, we stopped listening. We stopped giving them the respect they deserve. They were the last thing we were thinking about, when they _should have_ been the first!"

Then she marched out of the room to find Violette punching or kicking a locked small door she recently found. Taking her by the hand, Juliet forced her daughter to stop what she was doing and to look at her. Juliet lowered her head in shame, trying to hold back tears as she spoke in a calmer broken voice, "Violette, I'm so sorry. I know you're angry and scared for everyone, but so am I. You're right. I haven't been a good mother to you, being so busy with making sure the garden was perfect. But it's not, and it can't be if I'm not there for you. You're father tried to tell me that, and I stopped listening. The garden can wait, because you and your father are more important to me. I just want you to know how much I love you."

Violette's anger seemed to evaporate when she listened to her mother's apology. Her heart breaking, the child broke down in tears as she threw her arms around her mother and sobbed tearfully, "Oh, Mommy. I love you too."

This heartwarming reconciliation had touched Watson's and Sherlock's hearts as they watched what unfolded before them between mother and daughter. A look between the two old friends showed they both knew what to do.

"I suppose somewhere within that haystack of emotional twaddle there _may_ lie a thin needle of truth," Sherlock admitted in defeat.

"One last case," said Watson, decided to put the past behind them and work with the detective one last time before parting.

"One last case," agreed Sherlock, as he shook Watson's hand to seal the deal, having come to accept his ex-partner's decision.

"Good." Juliet climbed up the ladder and knocked down an object that will help them break down that small door. "Now let's get off this ship, save Elizabeth, and save those gnomes."

Working together, the four gnomes put in all their strength to use the object to knock the small door open, big enough for all four of them to escape.

However, the gnomes had to hide as there were plenty of humans working about on deck and didn't want to risk being caught.

"We need that soap." Sherlock pointed to a stock pile of plastic soap canteens.

"Of course, to unstick the gnomes from the pie filling," Watson said, figuring it out.

"Perfect deduction, Watson," Sherlock replied, and this time he truly meant it. "Now we need to find a way to get to Tower Bridge."

"Hey, how about that drone over?" Violette pointed to the freshly built surveillance quadcopter.

"Good idea, sweetheart," Juliet said. "I'll drive."

No sooner she said it, Sherlock's eyes did a double take at her. It didn't sound like a good idea to him.

A little later, the four gnomes hopped onto the drone and, with Juliet at the controls, Sherlock and Watson gripped the wings tightly as the drone rose into the air and quickly flew out of the ship. Violette sat next to her mother, as a result of her small structure she was able to fit in at the control seat with her.

"Whoaaa!" screamed Sherlock, trying to hold on as the drone staggered through the air and over the Thames waters below. Uh, Miss Juliet, maybe we should slow doooown!"

But Juliet didn't bother to slow down. Her friends, her family, the love of Sherlock's life and her husband are in danger. So she was going to take this very fast. She hit the throttle, and the drone took off like a bullet shot out of a rifle.


	11. Rescue at Tower Bridge

**_Narrator's POV_**

Flying the drone through the night air, Juliet zoomed toward the Tower Bridge. As they approached the bridge, the four gnomes had noticed something strange.

"Look! Someone must have stopped the bridge!" Watson shouted.

"Gnomeo." Juliet gasped. She knew that since her husband had not been glued with the other gnomes on the giant M, so he must have been the one who somehow managed to get the bridge to stop lifting.

As she flew the drone closer to the bridge, the gnomes spotted a figure wearing a blue cap running in and out of the bridge. It was Gnomeo - with Moriarty's gargoyles, Reggie and Ronnie, right behind him, and Elizabeth was not in the gargoyles' grasp.

Gnomeo spotted the drone and, with a sly grin, he took a mighty leap off the bridge. His hands flew wildly in the air...and caught Juliet's free hand and hauled onto the drone, having left Sherlock to take over the controls.

"Daddy!" Violette cried, tears of joy stained her face as she threw her arms around her father lovingly. "I thought I'd never see you again!"

"It's okay, sweetheart. I'm alright," Gnomeo assured his daughter, kissing her forehead and patting her back. Then he turned to his wife.

"Oh, Gnomeo, I'm so sorry," Juliet apologized for everything she had put him through, and she embraced him like she never wanted to let go of him again. 'I thought I'd lost you."

"That's never gonna happen," Gnomeo reassured his wife, returning the embrace.

"Look!" Sherlock pointed to the two gargoyles, glaring menacingly at the unexpected intruders. "Ah, yes. Not good."

Hovering near the rooftop of the bridge, Sherlock, Watson and Violette hopped off and onto the bridge walkway.

"Violette, come back!" Gnomeo shouted worriedly.

"But I want to help Elizabeth!"" the little girl protested.

"Fine! You go and find Elizabeth, but stay out of sight!" Sherlock firmly instructed.

Violette nodded in understanding and she took off before anyone could stop her.

"Would you mind taking care of them so we can save the gnomes?" requested Sherlock toward the red and blue gnomes on the drone.

"Leave it to us," Juliet replied confidently, and she directed the drove to fly upward.

Gunning the engine, Juliet drawed the gargoyles away by having Gnomeo insult them to get their attention. Juliet hopped off the drone, tied a rope around her waist, and lured the gargoyles to the top of the bridge. It seemed as if she were plummeting toward the water, much to the gargoyles' surprise, but she landed on the drone beside Gnomeo, just as the HMS Nimrod's search light beacon landed on the two gargoyles. Reggie and Ronnie froze immediately so not to get caught, but their heavy weights couldn't keep their tails from holding on any longer, and the gargoyles ended up being the ones who plummeted down to the water.

Meanwhile, Violette remained hidden in the shadows while searching for her beloved nanny. She kept her word to Sherlock's orders to stay out of sight, making sure neither Moriarty or the gargoyles would see her. She watched as Moriarty aimed a container of fireworks at Sherlock, firing one that would have hit the detective had he not dodged the flaming firecracker, taunting Moriarty to pursue him and the race was on.

A concerned Violette would have liked to save Sherlock from that evil pie mascot, but she must rescue Elizabeth first, hoping Moriarty didn't do anything to harm her. Hearing a ship's horn in the distance on the Thames, Violette gasped in horror. The HMS Nimrod was getting impatient and needed to cross over as soon as possible.

"I hope my family and friends will be saved in time," Violette whispered, silently praying that her loved ones will not be smashed.

Suddenly, the little girl halted in her tracks. There was Elizabeth, at the ledge beneath the ladder high above her. Violette deduced that Moriarty must have ordered her to be tied up there to make sure Sherlock doesn't get to her.

"Oh, that's a long way up," sighed Violette.

But she had no choice. Despite the tremendous height, she had to climb up there and save her friend. However, she got a brilliant idea. Violette remembered her mother's impressive acrobatic skills on their own ladder back home in the garden upon their first day in the new garden, especially back at their old home where her mother taught her martial arts to defend herself.

Taking a deep breath, Violette grasped the bars and swung her body upward, grabbing one bar to the next, performing one pullover after another, bobbing and weaving in and out of the ladder's open spaces. Like a gymnast, she did not stop no matter how tiring she was quickly wearing herself out, the little girl continued on and on and on, until she made it to the top at last.

Catching her breath, Violette shook Elizabeth's unconscious form lightly. Elizabeth's eyes fluttered open as she gazed into the relieved young eyes of her rescuer. Surprise flickered in the doll's eyes at seeing the little girl before her.

"I'm here to rescue you," Violette told her, as she tore off the gag that forbid the doll from speaking.

"And I'm glad about that," said Elizabeth, sighing in relief though slightly puzzled. "But how did you get here?"

"My mommy taught me some moves long before we moved to the new garden," Violette explained, untying the knot that held the bonds of the rope around Elizabeth's body, allowing them to slid off her form and free her.

"You are your mother's daughter after all," Elizabeth smiled proudly, "and your father's daughter as well."

Violette couldn't help it if she blushed at her nanny's comment, which she did, but another memory came to her mind. "Did what Moriarty say was true about you killing your family?" she asked, half frightened at the oncoming truth.

Elizabeth's face turned pale and she lowered her head in shame, before she finally gave her answer, "Yes. But believe me when I say this, Violette. I never dreamed of any harm to Professor Waxflatter, who had been such a kind and loving owner. My family, on the other hand..." her voice changed bitterly, "while I wished I had not left them there, I still remember they never cared about me and said what I want is not important."

"That's harsh," Violette said. "But I would never abandon my parents, Sherlock or Watson in a fire, even though Mommy and Sherlock had screwed up and Watson screwed up by unknowingly help Moriarty kidnap the gnomes."

"Wait, did I hear that right?" Elizabeth raised an eyebrow, glancing uncomfortably at the little girl. "Watson was in on this?!" she scowled.

"Uhhh…how about we discuss this after we save the gnomes," Violette responded with an awkward smile, before things turned ugly.

"Violette! Elizabeth!" hollered two familiar voices.

The little girl and the ginger-haired doll whirled around to see Gnomeo and Juliet hovering near them in the drone. Overjoyed to see Elizabeth safe and sound, the two gnomes hoisted her, and Violette, onboard and took turns sharing an embrace with her.

"Oh Elizabeth, we've been worried sick about you!" Juliet breathed. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, thanks to your daughter." Elizabeth smiled, as she gestured toward the little purple gnome.

"Good work, sweetheart," Gnomeo proudly praised his daughter.

"That's my girl," added Juliet, glancing at her child with great pride. "C'mon, let's go save our friends and family!"

Flooring the pedal, Juliet raced the drone down the side of the bridge, which had lifted upward. The group exchanged nervous looks, hoping Watson or Sherlock had saved the gnomes in time.

Around that time, Watson had found the stuck gnomes on the giant M. Swinging from the ceiling with his cane and grappling hook, Watson unscrewed the container of soap, spilling its contents all over the gnomes. Then he landed gracefully back on the ground and lifted up a large square piece of metal to shield himself for he used his grapping hook to pull off a water valve. Water rocketed out of the pipe and it bounced off the metal and all over the gnomes, mixing within the soap so the gnomes could unstick themselves from the jam.

The bridge's weights started to move again and the HMS Nimrod was heading straight for the bridge. The gnomes evacuated out of the room but on of them, Barry the toilet sitting gnome, was still stuck. Watson quickly climbed his way up and freed Barry from the jam, and slid down the soap suds to make a quick getaway.

The drone hovered over the huge crowd of gnomes as they hurriedly racing out of the open door, escorted by Lady Bluebury and Lord Redbrick. The gnomes started to applaud and cheer as they gratefully thanked Watson for rescuing. Watson's face lit up and he smiled, having received the praise and thanks he had long been denied.

"Thank goodness he was on time." Gnomeo grinned, relieved over the gnomes' safety.

"I see you found Elizabeth," said Watson, as he came running up to them and leaped onto the drone. "Good work, Miss Violette," he complimented the already bashful little girl. "Now, I think we better go check on Sherlock."

Everyone else agreed with him, and Juliet steered the drone up toward the roof walkway, where the two adversaries were battling it out.

Sherlock raised his magnifying glass to ward off Moriarty's blows with his rolling pin, but the magnifying glass had been knocked out of Sherlock's hands and the detective had to bounce off the pie mascot's bouncy and bubbly stomach to reach for a ladder and started climbing toward the top. To the detective's surprise, Moriarty had somehow made it to the top and caught hold of his arm.

"I'm a pie about town," sneered Moriarty.

Sherlock edged backwards away from him. "You know, you're very needy for a villain," he replied. He gasped when he felt his hand slip off the ledge. Sherlock was trapped, but when he glanced down, he was shocked to see the bridge was up.

"The bridge is up, the gnomes are smashed, and I guess this is the end of our little story, Sherlock," Moriarty jeered triumphantly. He raised his rolling pin, ready to smash Sherlock into pieces.

"Come now, Moriarty," Sherlock smirked, his eye caught familiar faces on the approaching drone. "I think there's one more twist in the tale."

Watson's grappling hook swung out of nowhere and knocked the rolling pin out from the shocked pie mascot's hand.

"You're past your sell-by date, Moriarty!" Watson shouted.

"And there's no way I would ever get married to a monster like you!" Elizabeth agreed, scowling.

Moriarty peered downward and, to his horror, all of London's garden gnomes had been rescued and safely out of harm's way.

"You saved them?! My life's work ruined!" Moriarty fumed, infuriated by Watson's interference as well as Elizabeth's rescue by the other three gnomes with her one the drone. "The Sistine Chapel of evil plans and you just spray-painted a cartoon cat all over it!" But then his mouth curled into a sneer. "Well then, folks, my hat's off to you - literally!" His façade faded as he yanked off his hat to throw it at the drone to make it crash.

Everyone onboard the drone turned pal, realizing what the villain was going to do.

Sherlock gasped in horror, also realizing what Moriarty intended to do. "No!" he yelled. He tried to stop him, but it was too late.

Moriarty hurled his hat straight into one of the drone's propellers and it spun out of control. Juliet and Elizabeth cried out. Gnomeo shielded his daughter to ensure she didn't fall off.

"Brace yourselves!" shouted Watson, but he was thrown off the bridge as the drone crash landed.

Elizabeth had been thrown to the other side, nearly tumbling off the ledge. But her quick thinking saved her as she grasped the edge and hauled herself back up. Then she rushed over to help the others, hoping none of them were seriously hurt.

Meanwhile, the two enemies tumbled downward off the top of the bridge, and it ended with Moriarty towering over Sherlock.

"Oh, Sherlock. You look tired." And with that, Moriarty leapt onto one of his legs, cracking it and Sherlock let out a cry of pain. "Why don't you have a little lie-down while I go and chat to your friends. Back in a sec." He left, cackling wickedly.

Everything all around them seemed to turn red as the fireworks had been set off, as if making the atmosphere turn sinister.

Watson assisted Violette and Juliet in trying to lift up the drone, where Gnomeo had become trapped underneath the drone. He didn't see Moriarty skipping wickedly up behind him, but the two female gnomes did.

"Watson, behind you!" Juliet yelled, pointing behind the doctor.

"Look out!" Violette shouted in alarm.

Before Moriarty could strike him down, Elizabeth threw herself at the villain out of nowhere, locking her arms around his neck and struggled to keep him from hurting Watson and possibly the others.

"Get off me!" Moriarty choked, his voice sounded a little like Bart Simpson whenever he got strangled. Being bigger than she was, Moriarty reached over and managed to grab her by the hair. He flung her over his shoulder, and right over the edge.

Watson caught her arm in time, but Moriarty used his bottom to knock him off the edge was well. The doctor barely hung on to the ledge, while he also held kept a firm hold on Elizabeth with his other free hand. The two of them dangled helplessly over a hundred feet above the water.

Grabbing the cane, Moriarty taunted his two helpless victims. "Poor old miserable Watson. And sorry our relationship didn't work out, poor little miserable Molly. Okay, bye-bye!" He raised the cane, ready to deliver the final shattering blow.

"No, Moriarty! Please!" Despite his battered leg, Sherlock limped into view.

"Give it up, Sherlock," Moriarty groaned in annoyance. "What are you going to do, depress me to death?"

"This is where our story ends," Sherlock announced bravely yet weakly, and his words made Watson and Elizabeth raise their eyebrows. "Come, Moriarty! Come dance with me."

Moriarty gasped, "Oh, big hairy bums!"

Everything began to happen in slow motion.

Gathering the last of his strength, Sherlock threw himself onto Moriarty, hurling the two adversaries over the ledge.

"SHERLOCK!" Watson and Elizabeth bellowed in horror.

As the two enemies fell gradually through the air, a rain of water fell from the bridge behind them, like a waterfall, and only two tiny silhouettes of Sherlock and Moriarty could be seen as they hurled downward toward the water.

Luckily, Watson and Elizabeth had been saved by Gnomeo, Juliet and Violette. Together, the group used the cane's rope to lasso Sherlock around his arm before he could fall into the Thames.

Unfortunately, Moriarty landed in the water with a splash. But he floated up to the surface, spluttering, "Sherlock Gnomes, I shall...oh, this water is disgusting! It's going on my mouth! Oh no, my phone!" As the villain floated down stream, his phone buzzed and died when in contact with the water and it sank to the bottom of the river.

The grappling hook's rope pulled Sherlock upward and the group helped in bringing him back on the ledge to safety.

Watson and Elizabeth stared at Sherlock, both in disbelief that the detective had been willing to sacrifice himself for them.

"You'd give your life for us?" he asked.

"Of course," Sherlock replied honestly.

"Because you're the sworn protector of London's garden gnomes."

"And dolls," added Elizabeth.

Sherlock shook his head. "No, because _we_ are the sworn protector's of London's garden gnomes, and dolls. Watson and Sherlock, partners and friends." He looked sorrowfully at him. "I'm sorry, old friend. I took you for granted. I should have realized that _our_ success would never have happened without your hard work. And I promise to treat my partner a lot better. That is, of course, if you'll have me back." He held out his hand, hoping for a handshake.

"Watson and Sherlock? I rather like the sound of that." Watson nodded, accepting Sherlock's apology.

And without hesitation, Watson shook Sherlock's hand, reaffirming their partnership and friendship.

Elizabeth smiled at the two gnomes' rekindling their buddy-ship, until it was her turn for Sherlock to speak to.

"Miss Elizabeth...I took you for granted as well," Sherlock admitted hesitantly. "My friendship with you had been a sham to get the truth of your past out of you. I am truly sorry. But I realized my feelings for you after that little incident on the train. And I had hoped if Moriarty never discovered my feelings for you, he would've used you to get to me." The detective smiled warmly at her. "So, what I want to ask you is...difficult, because I had hoped if you would join Watson and I...as a strong, undefeatable team of the sworn protector's of London's garden gnomes."

Elizabeth stared at the detective when he offered this proposal to her. She didn't know what to say nor did she know how to respond. The doll glanced over at Violette, Juliet and Gnomeo, her expression asking what she should do.

"If you want to it, that's up to you mate, said Gnomeo, grinning. "

"But who's going to watch Violette while you have garden duties?" Elizabeth asked, slightly worried.

"We'll watch her," assured Juliet. "And we'll make the chores a game out of it."

Elizabeth looked down at the little girl gnome, thinking she might start begging not to let her go. Instead, Violette didn't seem to mind about that at all.

"I'll be fine," the purple gnome told her. "Go get married already to Sherlock!"

Elizabeth blushed at those words, and so did Sherlock. Everyone laughed amusingly, and then Elizabeth stood in-between Sherlock and Watson, deciding to join their crime-fighting team for good.

Down below, all of London's garden gnomes began to cheer and applaud for their heroes. The red atmosphere from the fireworks had changed to cheery pink and violet colors. Benny then kissed Nanette, having begun a relationship with her.

"Not bad for our first week in London," Gnomeo said to his wife.

"Well, you're the one who wanted an adventure," Juliet said affectionately.

"Yeah, with you. Always with you." Gnomeo smiled tenderly as he slid an arm around her to bring her close for a kiss.

"Ew!" Violette made a gross face at her parents displaying public affection, but decided to take her mind off it by watching the fireworks. "Wow!" she awed.


	12. Violette's Epilogue

**_Violette's POV_**

The entire season passed so quickly that I guess the old saying 'time flies' does happen. I assisted my parents in cleaning, tidying, trimming, replanting and watering the new garden throughout the entire month, with help from Sherlock, Watson and Elizabeth. Springtime had finally arrived, and the garden looked so wonderful. You can find it hard to imagine it was once an overgrown and ugly plot, but it had transformed into a beautiful garden bursting with colorful flowers and freshly trimmed bushes, all thanks to our hard work.

"What a perfect spring day," Grandma Bluebury told my mother and father. "The garden looks absolutely glorious."

"It truly does," agreed Grandpa Redbrick, as he came over to give mother a hug. "Juliet, I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks, Dad," said Mommy. "But there is another thing I did learn that every leader must remember."

"And what is that?" Grandfather asked.

"A good leader must put her family first." Mommy glanced over at me and Daddy, smiling hugely.

All of the gnomes, including the rescued gnomes from every garden in London, gathered around for the ceremony. I was so glad to see Taio again, he sat in the front row with his parents, and he waved at me and I waved back. However, I was super glad to see Irene attending the ceremony, escorted by Teddy Gregson and Big Teddy. My mother nodded in greeting her, and Irene nodded back, and it looks like the start of a good friendship between the two women. I waved at Irene, and she gave me a friendly wave back. I watched her walk past Elizabeth, Sherlock and Watson, all three standing in the back of the garden.

"Watson!" Irene greeted the doctor, who blushed. "Hey Elizabeth," she said to my former nanny, who smiled in greeting. But when Irene noticed Sherlock, she dryly turned her nose up at him. "Oh. Sherlock. I didn't see you there."

"Yes. I suppose I deserved that," Sherlock mumbled, and his two companions nodded in agreement.

Several lucky cats from the Chinese Emporium were also attending the ceremony. They said something in cat language which I didn't understand. But enough of that, my grandmother started the announcement.

"On this day, the first day of spring, we are here to celebrate our new leaders, Gnomeo and Juliet," declared Grandma Bluebury.

Benny and Nanette, both whom stood by our side, handed my parents a single, delicate seedling flower. There was no mistaking its colors and species of what flower my parents are going to plant.

"Is that what I think it is?" Daddy asked.

"A Cupid's Arrow Orchid," Mommy replied. "Our flower."

Holding hands, my parents planted the little seedling together in the dirt.

"So, I guess this is officially our garden now," said Daddy.

"It is. And I'll never forget the most important thing in this garden is you and our little girl," Mommy said tenderly.

"Ooh, that was super cheesy," Daddy teased.

"No, it was extremely romantic," Mommy protested.

"Grade-A cheddar," Daddy pronounced.

"Will you shut and kiss me?" Mommy grabbed Daddy by the collar and pulled him into her embrace, where they kissed passionately.

The crowd cheered loudly and thunderous applause sounded throughout the garden. I heard an Elton John song playing on a radio Featherstone had playing to celebrate the ceremony. My grandparents nodded approvingly at my parents romance, Benny cried on Nanette's leg who comforted him, and I snuck away in embarrassment. I met up with Taio and we started to dance to the rhythm.

"Now this was a great ceremony, wasn't it?" I told him.

"You said it. And the best part about it is that I get to see you," Taio said, and he suddenly looked embarrassed over his choice of words.

I didn't mind what he said. To tell you the truth, I actually like Taio. And our parents agreed of arranging playdates for us so we can spend more time together, yet Daddy said kept complaining I wasn't ready to play with a boy, and Mommy constantly argued with him that there was nothing wrong with me and Taio being together. I think Daddy has been given lessons on being an overprotective father from Grandpa Redbrick.

Barry jumped off his plastic toilet to dance, only to expose his rear end to the crowd. "What?" he asked, confused.

In the back of the crowd, Elizabeth, Sherlock and Watson watched my parents, Gnomeo and Juliet, in astonishment.

"Watson, Elizabeth, do you see how they look at one another? Recalculating likelihood of breakup at zero percent." Sherlock mused. "Could that possibly be right?"

"Elementary, my dear Sherlock," said Watson. "Elementary."

"And that's exactly what's happening to us as well, darling. Our likelihood of breakup is zero percent," Elizabeth chuckled, giving the detective a quick smooch on his lips.

This took Sherlock completely by surprise, not expecting his girlfriend to kiss him so suddenly before leaving. Watson sniggered quietly at the detective's reaction. Shaking his head to snap his thoughts back to reality, Sherlock smiled affectionately at Elizabeth.

Then the two gentlemen gestured for Elizabeth to go first, but she rather that they go together as a team. With Watson and Elizabeth's support to lean on their shoulders, Sherlock limped out of the garden and toward home. Their relationships have gotten stronger and more closer than ever to make up for lost time.

As I watched them leave the garden, I knew that this won't be the last time I see them. I would see them again whenever there's a case involved, or that time of Sherlock and Elizabeth's upcoming wedding where I got to be their flower girl and Taio got to be their ring bearer.

Just like Watson said earlier, this adventure was quite elementary.

 **THE END**


End file.
